LIBRARY 

UNIVCRSITY  OF 
CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


.  !t«lS??vVil«fl  KM!SllH*isr*ifl 


SEU-Jtt-   <SH>BB>. 


OF  THE 

flDemorial   Ebftion 

There  are  but  three  hundred  and  fifty  complete  sets  made  for 
the  world,  of  which  this  is  copy 


No.. 


ANGLO-SAXON  CLASSICS 


COPYRIGHT 

T.    H.   SMART 
1905 


THE  STORY  OF 


BURNT 


The  Great  Icelandic  Tribune 


INJAL 

,  Jurist,  and  Counsellor. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  NJALS  SAGA 
THE  LAST  SKALD. 

.  Lund.) 


T  £f  D5  WH&  Waft*  T^'nts  lR°ftVS\'o\Q  v^A  'A6  i  nnalS  °f 

1  braiiO&brt&jfeft*<*  >  .u&LTip  were 

honored  as  historians  and  held  a  place  of  prominence  at  the 
courts  to  sing  the  deeds  of  kings,  for  which  they  were  often 
richly  rewarded.  But  Skalds  also  accompanied  every  expedi- 
tion, were  present  at  all  battles,  and  their  services  were  sought 

to  tecouat,  the,  prowess  and  achievements  of  individuals.  It  is, 
^,  WfffrEcufor's  F^  ,,  .  *jufQQr  s  b]ir&aud,iQD.  c  iU 

therefore,  to  tne  SKaTas^tnat  we   owe  trie   preseTVatlon  of  the 

history  of  Iceland,  much  of  which  is  in  rythmic  measures  and 
nearly  always  exhibits  th&  influence  of  the  mythology  that  so 
powerfully  affected  the  life  of  that  people. 

H<  B.  ANDERSON,  LL.D., 

Kr.JTOB   IK  CUIEF. 

J.  W.  BUEL,  Ph.D., 

MANAGING  EDITOR. 


PTIBIJ8HKD  BT  THE 

NORRCENA    SO.CIETY, 

LONDON    STOCKHOLM    COPENHAGEN    BERLIN     NEW  YORK 
1007 


THE  STORY  OF 

BURNT   |NJAL 

The  Great  Icelandic  Tribune,  Jurist,  and  Counsellor. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  NJALS  SAGA 


BY   THE   LATE 


SIR  GEORGE  WEBBE  DASENT,  D.C.  L 


With  Editor's  Prefatory  Note  and  Author's  Introduction. 


HON.  RASMUS  B.  ANDERSON,  LL.D., 

EDITOR  IN  CHIEF. 

J.  W.  BUEL,  Ph.D., 

MANAGING  EDITOR. 


PUBLISHED  BT  THE 

NORRGENA    SOCIETY, 

LONDON    STOCKHOLM    COPENHAGEN    BERLIN    NEW  YORK 
1P07 


LIST  OF  PHOTOGRAVURES. 

("BURNT  NJAL) 
Frontispiece — The  Last    Skald. 

Page 

Death  of  Earl  Hacon. .. 137 

Blood-Badet— Blood    Revel 232 

Funeral  of  Kol  Thorstein's  Son . .  . .  309 


CONTENTS. 

(BURNT  NJAL) 


Page 
Editor's  Prefatory  Note  ix 

Sir  George  Dasent's   Preface    xi 

Sir  George  Dasent's  Introduction. 

The  Northmen  in  Iceland  xv 

Superstitions  of  the  Race  xviii 

Social  Principles  of  the  Icelanders  xx 

Daily  Life  in  Njal's  Time xxvi 

Ships,  Voyages,  and  Discoveries  xxxii 

Social  Equality  of  the  Sexes  xxxiv 

The  Strength  and  Beauty  of  the  Story xxxvi 

Icelandic  Chronology  xxxix 

The  Story  of  Burnt  NjaL 

CHAPTER 

I— Of  Fiddle  Mord 1 

II — Atli  Arnvid  Son's  Slaying  2 

III — Hrut  Sails  out  to  Iceland 5 

IV — Unna  Separates  from  Hrut  10 

V — Mord  Claims  his  Goods  from  Hrut 13 

VI— Thorwald  Gets  Hallgerda  to  Wife 15 

VII— Hallgerda's  Wedding  17 

VIII— Thorwald's  Slaying   19 

IX — Glum's  Wooing  21 

X— Glum's   Slaying    26 

XI — Gunnar  Comes  into  the  Story 29 

XII— Of  Njal  and  his  Children 30 

XIII— Helgi  Njal's  Son's  Wooing 31 

XIV — Gunnar  Goes  Abroad   .                                         .  32 


CONTENTS 


XV  —  Gunnar's   Sea-Roving    .......................  34 

XVI—  The  Visit  to  Bergthorsknoll  ..................   38 

XVII—  Kol  Slays  Swart  ............................   40 

XVIII—  The  Slaying  of  Kol  .........................  45 

XIX—  The  Killing  of  Atli  .........................  48 

XX—  The  Slaying  of  Brynjolf  .....................  52 

XXI  —  'Sigmund  Comes  out  of  Iceland  ..............   54 

XXII  —  The  Slaying  of  Thord  Freedmanson  ...........  58 

XXIII  —  Njal  and  Gunnar  Make  Peace  ...............   59 

XXIV—  The  Slaying  of  Sigmund  and  Skiold  ...........   61 

XXV—  How  Otkell  Rode  Over  Gunnar  ..............   65 

XX  VI—  The  Fight  at  Rangriver  .....................   67 

XXVII—  Njal's  Advice  to  Gunnar  ....................   71 

XXVIII—  Gunnar  and  Geir  Strive  at  the  Thing  ........   73 

XXIX—  Of  Starkad  and  his  Sons  ....................   77 

XXX  —  How  Gunnar's  Horse  Fought  .........  '  ......  80 

XXXI—  Of  Asgrim  and  Wolf  Uggi's  Son  .............   83 

XXXII  —  An  Attack  Against  Gunnar  Agreed  on  .......   84 

XXXIII—  Gunnar's  Dream   ............................   86 

XXXIV—  The  Slaying  of  Hjort  and  Fourteen  Men  ......  88 

XXXV  —  Njal's  Counsel  to  Gunnar  ....................   91 

XXXVI—  Of  Valgard  and  Mord   ......................  93 

XXXVII—  Of  Fines  and  Atonements  ...................   96 

XXXVIII—  Of  Thorgeir  Starkad's  Son  ..................  98 

XXXIX—  Of  Njal  and  those  Namesakes  ...............  100 

XL—  Mord's  Counsel  .............................  103 

XLI—  The  Slaying  of  Thorgeir  ....................  104 

XLII—  Suits  for  Manslaughter  at  the  Thing  ..........  106 

XLIII  —  Of  the  Atonement  ..........................  108 

XLIV—  The  Riding  to  Lithend  ......................  110 

XLV  —  Gunnar's  Slaying  ............................  Ill 

XLVI  —  Gunnar  Sings  a  Death  Song  .................  115 

XLVII—  Gunnar  of  Lithend  Avenged  .................  117 

XLVIII—  Hogni  Atones  for  Gunnar's  Death  ...........  119 

XLIX—  Njal's  Sons  Sail  Abroad  .....................  120 

L—  Of  Kari  Solmund's  Son  ......................  122 

LI  —  Hrapp's  Voyage  from  Iceland  ................  124 

LII  —  Quarrel  of  Njal's  Sons  with  Thrain's  Son  .....  130 

vi 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  Page 

LIII— Thrain  Sigfus'  Son's  Slaying 131 

LI V— Of  the  Change  of  Faith 137 

LV — Of  Thangbrand's  Journeys  139 

LVI— Of  Thangbrand  and  Gudleif 141 

LVII— Of  Gest  Oddleif's  Son  143 

LVIII— Of  Gizur  the  White  and  Hjallti 146 

LVIX— The  Wedding  of  Hauskuld 147 

LX— The  Slaying  of  Njal's  Son 153 

LXI— The  Slaying  of  Lyting's  Brothers  157 

LXII— Of  Amund  the  Blind  160 

LXIII— The  Slander  of  Mord  Valgard's  Son 162 

LXIV— Of  Mord  and  Njal's  Sons 166 

I,XV— The  Slaying  of  Hauskuld  167 

LXVI — Hildigunna  and  Mord  Valgard's  Son 168 

LXVII— Of  Flosi  Thord's  Son 171 

LXVIII— Of  Flosi  and  Hildigunna  173 

LXIX— Of  Flosi,  Mord,  and  the  Sons  of  Sigfus 177 

LXX— The  Pleading  of  the  Suit 179 

LXXI — Award  of  Atonement  Between  Flosi  and  Njal.181 

LXXII— Of  the  Judges 183 

LXXIII— Attack  Planned  on  Njal  and  his  Sons 188 

LXXI V— Portent  of  the  Wolf's  Ride 194 

LXXV— The  Onslaught  on  Bergthorsknoll 194 

LXXVI— Of  Njal's  Burning   198 

LXXVII— Skarphedinn's  Death   204 

LXXVIII— Njal's  and  Bergthora's  Bones  Found 210 

LXXIX— Flosi's  Dream  214 

LXXX— Of  Thorhall  and  Kari  216 

LXXXI— Of  Flosi  and  the  Burners 221 

LXXXII— Of  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  Son   224 

LXXXIII — Asgrim,  Gizur,  and  Kari 230 

LXXXI V— Of  Asgrim  and  Gudmund   235 

LXXX V— Of  the  Declarations  of  the  Suits 237 

LXXXVI— Now  Men  go  to  the  Courts 240 

LXXX VII— Of  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  Son 254 

LXXXVIII— Counsel  of  Thorhall  Asgrim's  Son 256 

LXXXIX— Battle  at  the  Althing 264 

XC — Kari  Comes  to  Bjorn's  House 275 

vii 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  Page 

XCI— Of  Flosi's  Counsel  to  theBurners 278 

XCII— Of  Kari  and  Bjorn  282 

XCIII— More  of  Kari  and  Bjorn  ...286 

XCI V— Of  Kari,  Bjorn,  and  Thorgeir 290 

XCV— Flosi  Goes  Abroad  292 

XCVI— Kari  Goes  Abroad  295 

XCVII — Gunnar  Lambi's  Son's  Slaying 297 

XCVIII— Of  Signs  and  Wonders  300 

XCIX— Brian's  Battle  302 

C— The  Slaying  of  Thorstein's  Son 308 

CI— Of  Flosi  and  Kari  .  ...310 


viil 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


THIS  print  of  SIR  GEORGE  DASENT'S  translation  of  the 
Njals  Saga,  under  the  title  The  Story  of  Burnt  Njal,  has 
been  prepared  in  order  that  this  incomparable  Saga  may 
become  accessible  to  those  readers  with  whom  a  good  story 
is  the  first  consideration,  and  its  bearing  upon  a  nation's 
history  a  secondary  one — or  is  not  considered  at  all.  For 
Burnt  Njal  may  be  approached  either  as  a  historical  docu- 
ment, or  as  a  pure  narrative  of  elemental  natures,  of  strong 
passions,  and  of  heroic  feats  of  strength.  Some  of  the  best 
fighting  in  literature  is  to  be  found  between  its  covers. 
Sir  George  Dasent's  version  in  its  capacity  as  a  learned 
work  for  the  study  has  had  nearly  forty  years  of  life;  it  is 
now  offered  afresh  simply  as  a  brave  story  for  men  who 
have  been  boys  and  for  boys  who  are  going  to  be  men. 

We  lay  down  the  book  at  the  end  having  added  to  our 
store  of  good  memories  the  record  of  great  deeds  and  great 
hearts,  and  to  our  gallery  of  heroes  strong  and  admirable 
men  worthy  to  stand  beside  the  strong  and  admirable  men 
of  the  Iliad — Gunnar  of  Lithend  and  Skarphedinn,  Njal  and 
Kari,  Helgi  and  Kolskegg,  beside  Telamonian  Aias  and 
Patroclus,  Achilles  and  Hector,  Ulysses  and  Idomeneus. 
In  two  respects  these  Icelanders  win  more  of  our  sympathy 
than  the  Greeks  and  Trojans;  for  they,  like  ourselves,  are 
of  Northern  blood,  and  in  their  mighty  strivings  are  un- 
assisted by  the  gods. 

In  the  present  volume  Sir  George  Dasent's  preface  has 

ix 


PREFATORY  NOTE 

been  shortened,  and  his  introduction,  which  everyone  should 
make  a  point  of  reading  has  been  considerably  abridged. 

Sir  George  Webbe  Dascnt,  D.C.L.,  the  translator  of  the 
N/als  Saga,  was  born  in  1817  at  St.  Vincent  in  the  West 
Indies,  of  which  island  his  father  was  Attorney-General. 
He  was  educated  at  Westminster  School,  and  at  Magdalen 
Hall,  Oxford,  where  he  was  distinguished  both  as  a  fine 
athlete  and  a  good  classic.  He  took  his  degree  in  1840, 
and  on  settling  in  London  showed  an  early  tendency  towards 
literature  and  literary  society.  The  Sterlings  were  con- 
nected with  the  island  of  St.  Vincent,  and  as  Dasent  and 
John  Sterling  became  close  friends,  he  was  a  constant  guest 
at  Captain  Sterling's  house  in  Knightsbridge,  which  was 
frequented  by  many  who  afterwards  rose  to  eminence  in  the 
world  of  letters,  including  Carlyle,  to  whom  Dasent  dedicated 
his  first  book.  Dasent's  appointment  in  1842  as  private 
secretary  to  Sir  James  Cartwright,  the  British  Envoy  to 
the  court  of  Sweden,  took  him  to  Stockholm,  where  under 
the  advice  of  Jacob  Grimm,  whom  he  had  met  in  Denmark, 
he  began  that  study  of  Scandinavian  literature  which  has 
enriched  English  literature  by  the  present  work,  and  by  the 
Norse  Tales,  Gisli  the  Outlaw,  and  other  valuable  trans- 
lations and  memoirs.  On  returning  to  London  again  in  1845 
he  joined  the  Times  staff  as  assistant  editor  to  the  great 
Delane,  who  had  been  his  friend  at  Oxford,  and  whose 
sister  he  married  in  the  following  year.  In  1870  Mr. 
Gladstone  offered  him  a  Civil  Service  Commissionership, 
which  he  accepted  and  held  until  his  retirement  in  1892. 
He  was  knighted  "for  public  services"  in  1876,  having 
been  created  a  knight  of  the  Danish  order  of  the  Danne- 
brog  many  years  earlier. 

He  died  greatly  respected  in  1896. 


SIR  GEORGE  DASENT'S  PREFACE. 

(ABRIDGED.) 


WHAT  is  a  Saga?  A  Saga  is  a  story,  or  telling  in  prose, 
sometimes  mixed  with  verse.  There  are  many  kinds  of 
Sagas,  of  all  degrees  of  truth.  There  are  the  mythical 
Sagas,  in  which  the  wondrous  deeds  of  heroes  of  old  time, 
half  gods  and  half  men,  as  Sigurd  and  Ragnar,  are  told  as 
they  were  handed  down  from  father  to  son  in  the  traditions 
of  the  Northern  race.  Then  there  are  Sagas  recounting 
the  history  of  the  kings  of  Norway  and  other  countries, 
of  the  great  line  of  Orkney  Jarls,  and  of  the  chiefs  who 
ruled  in  Faroe.  These  are  all  more  or  less  trustworthy, 
and,  in  general,  far  worthier  of  belief  than  much  that 
passes  for  the  early  history  of  other  races.  Again,  there 
are  Sagas  relating  to  Iceland,  narrating  the  lives,  and 
feuds,  the  ends  of  mighty  chiefs,  the  heads  of  the  great 
families  which  dwelt  in  this  or  that  district  of  the  island. 
These  were  told  by  men  who  lived  on  the  very  spot,  and 
told  with  a  minuteness  and  exactness,  as  to  time  and 
place,  that  will  bear  the  strictest  examination.  Such  a 
Saga  is  that  of  Njal,  which  we  now  lay  before  our  readers 
in  an  English  garb.  Of  all  the  Sagas  relating  to  Iceland, 
this  tragic  story  bears  away  the  palm  for  truthfulness 
and  beauty.  To  use  the  words  of  one  well  qualified  to 
judge,  it  is,  as  compared  with  all  similar  compositions, 
as  gold  to  brass.  Like  all  the  Sagas  which  relate  to 
the  same  period  of  Icelandic  story,  Njal  was  not  written 

xi 


DASENT'S  PREFACE 

down  till  about  100  years  after  the  events  which  are 
described  in  it  had  happened.  In  the  meantime,  it  was 
handed  down  by  word  of  mouth,  told  from  Althing  to 
Althing,  at  Spring  Thing,  and  Autumn  Leet,  at  all 
great  gatherings  of  the  people,  and  over  many  a  fireside, 
on  sea  strand  or  river  bank,  or  up  among  the  dales  and 
hills,  by  men  who  had  learnt  the  sad  story  of  Njal's 
fate,  and  who  could  tell  of  Gunnar's  peerlessness  and 
Hallgerda's  infamy,  of  Bergthora's  helpfulness,  of  Skarp- 
hedinn's  hastiness,  of  Flosi's  foul  deed,  and  Kari's  stern 
revenge.  We  may  be  sure  that  as  soon  as  each  event 
recorded  in  the  Saga  occurred,  it  was  told  and  talked 
about  as  a  matter  of  history  %  and  when  at  last  the  whole 
story  was  unfolded  and  took  shape,  and  centred  round 
Njal,  that  it  was  handed  down  from  father  to  son,  as 
truthfully  and  faithfully  as  could  ever  be  the  case  with 
any  public  or  notorious  matter  in  local  history.  But  it  is 
not  on  Njal  alone  that  we  have  to  rely  for  our  evidence 
of  its  genuineness.  There  are  many  other  Sagas  relating 
to  the  same  period,  and  handed  down  in  like  manner,  in 
which  the  actors  in  our  Saga  are  incidentally  mentioned 
by  name,  and  in  which  the  deeds  recorded  of  them  are 
corroborated.  They  are  mentioned  also  in  songs  and 
Annals,  the  latter  being  the  earliest  written  records  which 
belong  to  the  history  of  the  island,  while  the  former  were 
more  easily  remembered,  from  the  construction  of  the 
verse.  Much  passes  for  history  in  other  lands  on  far  slighter 
grounds,  and  many  a  story  in  Thucydides  or  Tacitus, 
or  even  in  Clarendon  or  Hume,  is  believed  on  evidence  not 
one-tenth  part  so  trustworthy  as  that  which  supports  the 
narratives  of  these  Icelandic  story-tellers  of  the  eleventh 
century.  That  with  occurrences  of  undoubted  truth,  and 
minute  particularity  as  to  time  and  place,  as  to  dates  and 

xii 


DASENT'S  PREFACE 

distance,  are  intermingled  wild  superstitions  on  several 
occasions,  will  startle  no  reader  of  the  smallest  judgment. 
All  ages,  our  own  not  excepted,  have  their  superstitions, 
and  to  suppose  that  a  story  told  in  the  eleventh  century, 
— when  phantoms,  and  ghosts,  and  wraiths,  were  implicitly 
believed  in,  and  when  dreams,  and  warnings,  and  tokens, 
were  part  of  every  man's  creed — should  be  wanting  in 
these  marks  of  genuineness,  is  simply  to  require  that  one 
great  proof  of  its  truthfulness  should  be  wanting,  and 
that,  in  order  to  suit  the  spirit  of  our  age,  it  should  lack 
something  which  was  part  and  parcel  of  popular  belief  in 
the  age  to  which  it  belonged.  To  a  thoughtful  mind, 
therefore,  such  stories  as  that  of  Swan's  witchcraft,  Gun- 
nar's  song  in  his  cairn,  the  Wolf's  ride  before  the  Burning, 
Flosi's  dreams,  the  signs  and  tokens  before  Brian's  battle, 
and  even  Njal's  weird  foresight,  on  which  the  whole  story 
hangs,  will  be  regarded  as  proofs  rather  for  than  against 
its  genuineness. 

To  tell  a  story  truthfully  was  what  was  looked  for 
from  all  men  in  those  days;  but  to  tell  it  properly  and 
gracefully,  and  so  to  clothe  the  facts  in  fitting  diction,  was 
given  to  few,  and  of  those  few  the  Saga  teller  who  first 
threw  Njal  into  its  present  shape,  was  one  of  the  first 
and  foremost. 

With  the  change  of  faith  and  conversion  of  the  Ice- 
landers to  Christianity,  writing,  and  the  materials  for 
writing,  first  came  into  the  land,  about  the  year  1000. 
There  is  no  proof  that  the  earlier  or  Runic  alphabet, 
which  existed  in  heathen  times,  was  ever  used  for  any 
other  purposes  than  those  of  simple  monumental  inscrip- 
tions, or  of  short  legends  on  weapons  or  sacrificial  vessels, 
or  horns  and  drinking  cups.  But  with  the  Roman  alpha- 
bet came  not  only  a  readier  means  of  expressing  thought, 

xiii 


DASENT'S  PREFACE 

but  also  a  class  of  men  who  were  wont  thus  to  express 
themselves.  .  .  .  Saga  after  Saga  was  reduced  to  writing, 
and  before  the  year  1200  it  is  reckoned  that  all  the  pieces 
of  that  kind  of  composition  which  relate  to  the  history 
of  Icelanders  previous  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity 
had  passed  from  the  oral  into  the  written  shape.  Of  all 
those  Sagas,  none  were  so  interesting  as  Njal,  whether  as 
regarded  the  length  of  the  story,  the  number  and  rank  of 
the  chiefs  who  appeared  in  it  as  actors,  and  the  graphic 
way  in  which  the  tragic  tale  was  told.  As  a  rounded 
whole,  in  which  each  part  is  finely  and  beautifully  polished, 
in  which  the  two  great  divisions  of  the  story  are  kept  in 
perfect  balance  and  counterpoise,  in  which  each  person 
who  appears  is  left  free  to  speak  in  a  way  which  stamps 
him  with  a  character  of  his  own,  while  all  unite  in  working 
towards  a  common  end,  no  Saga  had  such  claims  on  public 
attention  as  Njal,  and  it  is  certain  none  would  sooner 
have  been  committed  to  writing.  The  latest  period, 
therefore,  that  we  can  assign  as  to  the  date  at  which  our 
Saga  was  moulded  into  its  present  shape  is  the  year 
1200.  .  .  . 

It  was  a  foster-father's  duty,  in  old  times,  to  rear  and 
cherish  the  child  which  he  had  taken  from  the  arms  of  its 
natural  parents,  his  superiors  in  rank.  And  so  may  this 
work,  which  the  translator  has  taken  from  the  house  of 
Icelandic  scholars,  his  masters  in  knowledge,  and  which  he 
has  reared  and  fostered  so  many  years  under  an  English 
roof,  go  forth  and  fight  the  battle  of  life  for  itself,  and  win 
fresh  fame  for  those  who  gave  it  birth.  It  will  be  reward 
enough  for  him  who  has  first  clothed  it  in  an  English 
dress  if  his  foster-child  adds  another  leaf  to  that  evergreen 
wreath  of  glory  which  crowns  the  brows  of  Iceland's 
ancient  worthies. 

xir 


SIR  GEORGE  DASENTS  INTRODUCTION. 

(ABRIDGED.) 


THE  NORTHMEN  IN  ICELAND. 

THE  men  who  colonized  Iceland  towards  the  end  of  the 
ninth  century  of  the  Christian  aera,  were  of  no  savage  or 
servile  race.  They  fled  from  the  overbearing  power  of  the 
king,  from  that  new  and  strange  doctrine  of  government  put 
forth  by  Harold  Fairhair,  860-933,  which  made  them  the 
king's  men  at  all  times,  instead  of  his  only  at  certain  times 
for  special  service,  which  laid  scatts  and  taxes  on  their 
lands,  which  interfered  with  vested  rights  and  world-old 
laws,  and  allowed  the  monarch  to  meddle  and  make  with 
the  freeman's  allodial  holdings.  As  we  look  at  it  now,  and 
from  another  point  of  view,  we  see  that  what  to  them  was 
unbearable  tyranny  was  really  a  step  in  the  great  march 
of  civilization  and  progress,  and  that  the  centralization  and 
consolidation  of  the  royal  authority,  according  to  Charle- 
magne's system,  was  in  time  to  be  a  blessing  to  the  king- 
doms of  the  north.  But  to  the  freeman  it  was  a  curse. 
He  fought  against  it  as  long  as  he  could;  worsted  over 
and  over  again,  he  renewed  the  struggle,  and  at  last,  when 
the  isolated  efforts,  which  were  the  key-stone  of  his  edifice 
of  liberty,  were  fruitless,  he  sullenly  withdrew  from  the 
field,  and  left  the  land  of  his  fathers,  where,  as  he  thought,  no 
free-born  man  could  now  care  to  live.  Now  it  is  that  we 
hear  of  him  in  Iceland,  where  Ingiolf  was  the  first  settler  in 
the  year  874,  and  was  soon  followed  by  many  of  his  country- 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

men.  Now,  too,  we  hear  of  him  in  all  lands.  Now  France 
— now  Italy — now  Spain,  feel  the  fury  of  his  wrath,  and 
the  weight  of  his  arm.  After  a  time,  but  not  until  nearly 
a  century  has  passed,  he  spreads  his  wings  for  a  wider 
flight,  and  takes  service  under  the  great  emperor  at  Byzan- 
tium, or  Micklegarth — the  great  city,  the  town  of  towns — 
and  fights  his  foes  from  whatever  quarter  they  come.  The 
Moslem  in  Sicily  and  Asia,  the  Bulgarians  and  Sclavonians 
on  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea  and  in  Greece,  well  know 
the  temper  of  the  Northern  steel,  which  has  forced  many  of 
their  chosen  champions  to  bite  the  dust.  Wherever  he 
goes  the  Northman  leaves  his  mark,  and  to  this  day  the 
lion  at  the  entrance  to  the  arsenal  at  Venice  is  scored  with 
runes  which  tell  of  his  triumph. 

But  of  all  countries,  what  were  called  the  Western  Lands 
were  his  favourite  haunt.  England,  where  the  Saxons  were 
losing  their  old  dash  and  daring,  and  settling  down  into  a 
sluggish  sensual  race;  Ireland,  the  flower  of  Celtic  lands, 
in  which  a  system  of  great  age  and  undoubted  civilization 
was  then  fast  falling  to  pieces,  afforded  a  tempting  battle- 
field in  the  everlasting  feuds  between  chief  and  chief; 
Scotland,  where  the  power  of  the  Picts  was  waning,  while 
that  of  the  Scots  had  not  taken  firm  hold  on  the  country, 
and  most  of  all  the  islands  in  the  Scottish  Main,  Orkney, 
Shetland,  and  the  outlying  Faroe  Isles ; — all  these  were  his 
chosen  abode.  In  those  islands  he  took  deep  root,  estab- 
lished himself  on  the  old  system,  shared  in  the  quarrels  of 
the  chiefs  and  princes  of  the  Mainland,  now  helped  Pict  and 
now  Scot,  roved  the  seas  and  made  all  ships  prizes,  and  kept 
alive  his  old  grudge  against  Harold  Fairhair  and  the  new 
system  by  a  long  series  of  piratical  incursions  on  the  Norway 
coast.  So  worrying  did  these  Viking  cruises  at  last  become, 
that  Harold,  who  meantime  had  steadily  pursued  his  policy 

xvi 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

at  home,  and  forced  all  men  to  bow  to  his  sway  or  leave  the 
land,  resolved  to  crush  the  wasps  that  stung  him  summer 
after  summer  in  their  own  nest.  First  of  all  he  sent  Kettle 
Flatnose,  a  mighty  chief,  to  subdue  the  foe;  but  though 
Kettle  waged  successful  war,  he  kept  what  he  won  for  him- 
self. It  was  the  old  story  of  setting  a  thief  to  catch  a  thief ; 
and  Harold  found  that  if  he  was  to  have  his  work  done  to 
his  mind  he  must  do  it  himself.  He  called  on  his  chiefs  to 
follow  him,  levied'  a  mighty  force,  and,  sailing  suddenly 
with  a  fleet  which  must  have  seemed  an  armada  in  those 
days,  he  fell  upon  the  Vikings  in  Orkney  and  Shetland,  in 
the  Hebrides  and  Western  Isles,  in  Man  and  Anglesey,  in 
the  Lewes  and  Faroe — wherever  he  could  find  them  he 
followed  them  up  with  fire  and  sword.  Not  once,  but  twice 
he  crossed  the  sea  after  them,  and  tore  them  out  so  thor- 
oughly, root  and  branch,  that  we  hear  no  more  of  these 
lands  as  a  lair  of  Vikings,  but  as  the  abode  of  Norse  Jarls 
and  their  udallers  (freeholders)  who  look  upon  the  new 
state  of  things  at  home  as  right  and  just,  and  acknowledge 
the  authority  of  Harald  and  his  successors  by  an  allegiance 
more  or  less  dutiful  at  different  times,  but  which  was  never 
afterwards  entirely  thrown  off. 

It  was  just  then,  just  when  the  unflinching  will  of 
Harold  had  taught  this  stern  lesson  to  his  old  foes,  and 
arising  in  most  part  out  of  that  lesson,  that  the  great  rush 
of  settlers  to  Iceland  took  place.  Ingolf  and  others  had 
settled  in  Iceland  from  874  downwards,  but  it  was  not  until 
nearly  twenty  years  afterwards  that  the  island  began  to  be 
thickly  peopled.  More  than  half  of  the  names  of  the  first 
colonists  contained  in  the  venerable  Landnama  Book — the 
Book  of  Lots,  the  Doomsday  of  Iceland,  and  far  livelier 
reading  than  that  of  the  Conqueror — are  those  of  Northmen 
who  had  been  before  settled  in  the  British  Isles.  England 

xvii 
2 


DASENTS  INTRODUCTION 

then  was  the  great  stepping-stone  between  Norway  and 
Iceland ;  and  this  one  fact  is  enough  to  account  for  the  close 
connection  which  the  Icelanders  ever  afterwards  kept  up 
with  their  kinsmen  who  had  remained  behind  in  the  islands 
of  the  west.  .  .  . 

SUPERSTITIONS  OF  THE  RACE. 

The  Northman  had  many  superstitions.  He  believed 
in  good  giants  and  bad  giants,  in  dark  elves  and  bright 
elves,  in  superhuman  beings  who  filled  the  wide  gulf  which 
existed  between  himself  and  the  gods.  He  believed,  too, 
in  wraiths  and  fetches  and  guardian  spirits,  who  followed 
particular  persons,  and  belonged  to  certain  families — a 
belief  which  seems  to  have  sprung  from  the  habit  of  re- 
garding body  and  soul  as  two  distinct  beings,  which  at 
certain  times  took  each  a  separate  bodily  shape.  Some- 
times the  guardian  spirit  or  fylgja  took  a  human  shape; 
at  others  its  form  took  that  of  some  animal  fancied  to 
foreshadow  the  character  of  the  man  to  whom  it  belonged. 
Thus  it  becomes  a  bear,  a  wolf,  an  ox,  and  even  a  fox,  in 
men.  The  fylgjar  of  women  were  fond  of  taking  the 
shape  of  swans.  To  see  one's  own  fylgja  was  unlucky,  and 
often  a  sign  that  a  man  was  "fey,"  or  death-doomed.  So, 
when  Thord  Freedmanson  tells  Njal  that  he  sees  the  goat 
wallowing  in  its  gore  in  the  "town"  of  Bergthorsknoll, 
the  foresighted  man  tells  him  that  he  has  seen  his  own 
fylgja,  and  that  he  must  be  doomed  to  die.  Finer  and 
nobler  natures  often  saw  the  guardian  spirits  of  others. 
Thus  Njal  saw  the  fylgjar  of  Gunnar's  enemies,  which 
gave  him  no  rest  the  livelong  night,  and  his  weird  feeling 
is  soon  confirmed  by  the  news  brought  by  his  shepherd. 
From  the  fylgja  of  the  individual  it  was  easy  to  rise  to 
the  still  more  abstract  notion  of  the  guardian  spirits  of  a 

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DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

family,  who  sometimes,  if  a  great  change  in  the  house  is 
about  to  begin,  even  show  themselves  as  hurtful  to  some 
member  of  the  house.  He  believed  also  that  some  men  had 
more  than  one  shape ;  that  they  could  take  either  the 
shapes  of  animals,  as  bears  or  wolves,  and  so  work  mischief; 
or  that,  without  undergoing  bodily  change,  an  excess  of 
rage  and  strength  came  over  them,  and  more  especially 
towards  night,  which  made  them  more  than  a  match  for 
ordinary  men.  Such  men  were  called  hamrammir,  "shape- 
strong,"  and  it  was  remarked  that  when  the  fit  left  them 
they  were  weaker  than  they  had  been  before. 

This  gift  was  looked  upon  as  something  "uncanny,"  and 
it  leads  us  at  once  to  another  class  of  men,  whose  super- 
natural strength  was  regarded  as  a  curse  to  the  community. 
These  were  the  Baresarks.  What  the  hamrammir  men 
were  when  they  were  in  their  fits  the  Baresarks  almost 
always  were.  They  are  described  as  being  always,  of 
exceeding,  and  when  their  fury  rose  high,  of  superhuman 
strength.  They  too,  like  the  hamrammir  men,  were  very 
tired  when  the  fits  passed  off.  What  led  to  their  fits  is 
hard  to  say.  In  the  case  of  the  only  class  of  men  like 
them  nowadays,  that  of  the  Malays  running  a-muck,  the 
intoxicating  fumes  of  bangh  or  arrack  are  said  to  be  the 
cause  of  their  fury.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain,  that 
the  Baresark,  like  his  Malay  brother,  was  looked  upon  as 
a  public  pest,  and  the  mischief  which  they  caused,  relying 
partly  no  doubt  on  their  natural  strength,  and  partly  on 
the  hold  which  the  belief  in  their  supernatural  nature  had 
on  the  mind  of  the  people,  was  such  as  to  render  their 
killing  a  good  work. 

Again,  the  Northman  believed  that  certain  men  were 
"fast"  or  "hard;"  that  no  weapons  would  touch  them  or 
wound  their  skin;  that  the  mere  glance  of  some  men's 

xix 


DASENTS  INTRODUCTION 

eyes  would  turn  the  edge  of  the  best  sword ;  and  that 
some  persons  had  the  power  of  withstanding  poison.  He 
believed  in  omens  and  dreams  and  warnings,  in  signs  and 
wonders  and  tokens ;  he  believed  in  good  luck  and  bad 
luck,  and  that  the  man  on  whom  fortune  smiled  or  frowned 
bore  the  marks  of  her  favour  or  displeasure  on  his  face; 
he  believed  also  in  magic  and  sorcery,  though  he  loathed 
them  as  unholy  rites.  With  one  of  his  beliefs  our  story 
has  much  to  do,  though  this  was  a  belief  in  good  rather 
than  in  evil.  He  believed  firmly  that  some  men  had  the 
inborn  gift,  not  won  by  any  black  arts,  of  seeing  things 
and  events  beforehand.  He  believed,  in  short,  in  what  is 
called  in  Scotland  "second  sight."  This  was  what  was 
called  being  "forspar"  or  "framsynn,"  "foretelling"  and 
"foresighted."  Of  such  men  it  was  said  that  their  "words 
could  not  be  broken."  Njal  was  one  of  these  men;  one 
of  the  wisest  and  at  the  same  time  most  just  and  honour- 
able of  men.  This  gift  ran  in  families,  for  Helgi  Njal's 
son  had  it,  and  it  was  beyond  a  doubt  one  of  the  deepest- 
rooted  of  all  their  superstitions. 

SOCIAL  PRINCIPLES. 

Beside  his  creed  and  these  beliefs  the  new  settler 
brought  with  him  certain  fixed  social  principles,  which  we 
shall  do  well  to  consider  carefully  in  the  outset.  .  .  .  First 
and  foremost  came  the  father's  right  of  property  in  his 
children.  This  right  is  common  to  the  infancy  of  all 
communities,  and  exists  before  all  law.  We  seek  it  in  vain 
in  codes  which  belong  to  a  later  period,  but  it  has  left 
traces  of  itself  in  all  codes,  and,  abrogated  in  theory,  still 
often  exists  in  practice.  We  find  it  in  the  Roman  law, 
and  we  find  it  among  the  Northmen.  Thus  it  was  the 
father's  right  to  rear  his  children  or  not  at  his  will.  As 

XX 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

soon  as  it  was  born,  the  child  was  laid  upon  the  bare 
ground;  and  until  the  father  came  and  looked  at  it,  heard 
and  saw  that  it  was  strong  in  lung  and  limb,  lifted  it  in 
his  arms,  and  handed  it  over  to  the  women  to  be  reared, 
its  fate  hung  in  the  balance,  and  life  or  death  depended 
on  the  sentence  of  its  sire.  After  it  had  passed  safely 
through  that  ordeal,  it  was  duly  washed,  signed  with 
Thor's  holy  hammer,  and  solemnly  received  into  the  family. 
If  it  were  a  weakly  boy,  and  still  more  often,  if  it  were  a 
girl,  no  matter  whether  she  were  strong  or  weak,  the 
infant  was  exposed  to  die  by  ravening  beasts,  or  the  in- 
clemency of  the  climate.  Many  instances  occur  of  children 
so  exposed,  who,  saved  by  some  kindly  neighbour,  and 
fostered  beneath  a  stranger's  roof,  thus  contracted  ties 
reckoned  still  more  binding  than  blood  itself.  So  long 
as  his  children  remained  under  his  roof,  they  were  their 
father's  own.  When  the  sons  left  the  paternal  roof,  they 
were  emancipated,  and  when  the  daughters  were  married 
they  were  also  free,  but  the  marriage  itself  remained  till 
the  latest  times  a  matter  of  sale  and  barter  in  deed  as 
well  as  name.  The  wife  came  into  the  house,  in  the  patri- 
archal state,  either  stolen  or  bought  from  her  nearest 
male  relations;  and  though  in  later  times  when  the  sale 
took  place  it  was  softened  by  settling  part  of  the  dower 
and  portion  on  the  wife,  we  shall  do  well  to  bear  in  mind, 
that  originally  dower  was  only  the  price  paid  by  the  suitor 
to  the  father  for  his  good  will;  while  portion,  on  the 
other  hand,  was  the  sum  paid  by  the  father  to  persuade  a 
suitor  to  take  a  daughter  off  his  hands.  Let  us  remember, 
therefore,  that  in  those  times,  as  Odin  was  supreme  in 
Asgard  as  the  Great  Father  of  Gods  and  men,  so  in  his 
own  house  every  father  of  the  race  that  revered  Odin  was 
also  sovereign  and  supreme. 

xxi 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

In  the  second  place,  as  the  creed  of  the  race  was  one 
that  adored  the  Great  Father  as  the  God  of  Battles;  as 
it  was  his  will  that  turned  the  fight;  nay,  as  that  was 
the  very  way  in  which  he  chose  to  call  his  own  to  himself, 
— it  followed,  that  any  appeal  to  arms  was  looked  upon 
as  an  appeal  to  God.  Victory  was  indeed  the  sign  of  a 
rightful  cause,  and  he  that  won  the  day  remained  behind 
to  enjoy  the  rights  which  he  had  won  in  fair  fight,  but  lie 
that  lost  it,  if  he  fell  bravely  and  like  a  man,  if  he  truly 
believed  his  quarrel  just,  and  brought  it  without  guile  to 
the  issue  of  the  sword,  went  by  the  very  manner  of  his 
death  to  a  better  place.  The  Father  of  the  Slain  wanted 
him,  and  he  was  welcomed  by  the  Valkyries,  by  Odin's 
corse-choosers,  to  the  festive  board  in  Valhalla.  In  every 
point  of  view,  therefore,  war  and  battle  was  a  holy  thing, 
and  the  Northman  went  to  the  battlefield  in  the  firm  con- 
viction that  right  would  prevail.  In  modern  times,  while 
we  appeal  in  declarations  of  war  to  the  God  of  Battles, 
we  do  it  with  the  feeling  that  war  is  often  an  unholy 
thing,  and  that  Providence  is  not  always  on  the  side  of 
strong  battalions.  The  Northman  saw  Providence  on 
both  sides.  It  was  good  to  live,  if  one  fought  bravely,  but 
it  was  also  good  to  die,  if  one  fell  bravely.  To  live  bravely 
and  to  die  bravely,  trusting  in  the  God  of  Battles,  was 
the  warrior's  comfortable  creed. 

But  this  feeling  was  also  shown  in  private  life.  When 
two  tribes  or  peoples  rushed  to  war,  there  Odin,  the 
warrior's  god,  was  sure  to  be  busy  in  the  fight,  turning 
the  day  this  way  or  that  at  his  will;  but  he  was  no  less 
present  in  private  war,  where  in  any  quarrel  man  met 
man  to  claim  or  to  defend  a  right.  There,  too,  he  turned 
the  scale  and  swayed  the  day,  and  there  too  an  appeal  to 
arms  was  regarded  as  an  appeal  to  heaven.  Hence  arose 

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DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

another  right  older  than  all  law,  the  right  of  duel — of 
wager  of  battle,  as  the  old  English  law  called  it.  Among 
the  Northmen  it  underlaid  all  their  early  legislation, 
which,  as  we  shall  see,  aimed  rather  at  regulating  and 
guiding  it,  by  making  it  a  part  and  parcel  of  the  law, 
than  at  attempting  to  check  at  once  a  custom  which  had 
grown  up  with  the  whole  faith  of  the  people,  and  which 
was  regarded  as  a  right  at  once  so  time-honoured  and  so 
holy. 

Thirdly,  we  must  never  forget  that,  as  it  is  the  Chris- 
tian's duty  to  forgive  his  foes,  and  to  be  patient  and  long- 
suffering  under  the  most  grievous  wrongs,  so  it  was  the 
heathen's  bounden  duty  to  avenge  all  wrongs,  and  most  of 
all  those  offered  to  blood  relations,  to  his  kith  and  kin,  to 
the  utmost  limit  of  his  power.  Hence  arose  the  constant 
blood-feuds  between  families,  of  which  we  shall  hear  so 
much  in  our  story,  but  which  we  shall  fail  fully  to  under- 
stand, unless  we  keep  in  view,  along  with  this  duty  of 
revenge,  the  right  of  property  which  all  heads  of  houses 
had  in  their  relations.  One  of  these  twofold  rights,  of  the 
right  of  revenge  and  the  right  of  property,  arose  that 
strange  medley  of  forbearance  and  blood-thirstiness  which 
stamps  the  age.  Revenge  was  a  duty  and  a  right,  but 
property  was  no  less  a  right;  and  so  it  rested  with  the 
father  of  a  family  either  to  take  revenge,  life  for  life,  or  to 
forego  his  vengeance,  and  take  a  compensation  in  goods 
or  money  for  the  loss  he  had  sustained  in  his  property. 
Out  of  this  latter  view  arose  those  arbitrary  tariffs  for 
wounds  or  loss  of  life,  which  were  gradually  developed 
more  or  less  completely  in  all  the  Teutonic  and  Scandi- 
navian races,  until  every  injury  to  life  or  limb  had  its  pro- 
portionate price,  according  to  the  rank  which  the  injured 
person  bore  in  the  social  scale.  These  tariffs,  settled  by 

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DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

the  heads  of  houses,  are,  in  fact,  the  first  elements  of  the 
law  of  nations;  but  it  must  be  clearly  understood  that  it 
always  rested  with  the  injured  family  either  to  follow  up 
the  quarrel  by  private  war,  or  to  call  on  the  man  who  had 
inflicted  the  injury  to  pay  a  fitting  fine.  If  he  refused, 
the  feud  might  be  followed  up  on  the  battlefield,  in  the 
earliest  times,  or  in  later  days,  either  by  battle  or  by  law. 
A  fourth  great  principle  of  his  nature  was  the  con- 
viction of  the  worthlessness  and  fleeting  nature  of  all 
worldly  goods.  One  thing  alone  was  firm  and  unshaken, 
the  stability  of  well-earned  fame.  "Goods  perish,  friends 
perish,  a  man  himself  perishes,  but  fame  never  dies  to  him 
that  hath  won  it  worthily."  "One  thing  I  know  that 
never  dies,  the  judgment  passed  on  every  mortal  man." 
Over  all  man's  life  hung  a  blind,  inexorable  fate,  a  lower 
fold  of  the  same  gloomy  cloud  that  brooded  over  Odin 
and'  the  JEslr.  Nothing  could  avert  this  doom.  When 
his  hour  came,  a  man  must  meet  his  death,  and  until  his 
hour  came  he  was  safe.  It  might  strike  in  the  midst  of 
the  highest  happiness,  and  then  nothing  could  avert  the 
evil,  but  until  it  struck  he  would  come  safe  through  the 
direst  peril.  This  fatalism  showed  itself  among  this 
vigorous  pushing  race  in  no  idle  resignation.  On  the 
contrary,  the  Northman  went  boldly  to  meet  the  doom 
which  he  felt  sure  no  effort  of  his  could  turn  aside,  but 
which  he  knew,  if  he  met  it  like  a  man,  would  secure  him 
the  only  lasting  thing  on  earth — a  name  famous  in  song 
and  story.  Fate  must  be  met  then,  but  the  way  in  which 
it  was  met,  that  rested  with  a  man  himself,  that,  at  least, 
was  in  his  own  power ;  there  he  might  show  his  free  will ; 
and  thus  the  principle,  which  might  seem  at  first  to  be 
calculated  to  blunt  his  energies  and  weaken  his  strength 
of  mind,  really  sharpened  and  hardened  them  in  a  wonder- 

xxiv 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

ful  way,  for  it  left  it  still  worth  everything  to  a  man  to 
fight  this  stern  battle  of  life  well  and  bravely,  while  its 
blind  inexorable  nature  allowed  no  room  for  any  careful 
weighing  of  chances  or  probabilities,  or  for  any  anxious 
prying  into  the  nature  of  things  doomed  once  for  all  to 
come  to  pass.  To  do  things  like  a  man,  without  looking 
to  the  right  or  left,  as  Kari  acted  when  he  smote  off 
Gunnar's  head  in  Earl  Sigurd's  hall,  was  the  Northman's 
pride.  He  must  do  them  openly  too,  and  show  no  shame 
for  what  he  had  done.  To  kill  a  man  and  say  that  you 
had  killed  him,  was  manslaughter;  to  kill  him  and  not  to 
take  it  on  your  hand  was  murder.  To  kill  men  at  dead  of 
night  was  also  looked  on  as  murder.  To  kill  a  foe  and  not 
bestow  the  rights  of  burial  on  his  body  by  throwing  sand  or 
gravel  over  him,  was  also  looked  on  as  murder.  Even  the 
wicked  Thiostolf  throws  gravel  over  Glum  in  our  Saga, 
and  Thord  Freedmanson's  complaint  against  Brynjolf  the 
unruly  was  that  he  had  buried  Atli's  body  badly.  Even 
in  killing  a  foe  there  was  an  open  gentlemanlike  way  of 
doing  it,  to  fail  in  which  was  shocking  to  the  free  and 
outspoken  spirit  of  the  age.  Thorgeir  Craggeir  and  the 
gallant  Kari  wake  their  foes  and  give  them  time  to  arm 
themselves  before  they  fall  upon  them ;  and  Hrapp,  too, 
the  thorough  Icelander  of  the  common  stamp,  "the  friend 
of  his  friends  and  the  foe  of  his  foes,"  stalks  before  Gud- 
brand  and  tells  him  to  his  face  the  crimes  which  he  has 
committed. 

Robbery  and  piracy  in  a  good  straightforward  wholesale 
way  was  honoured  and  respected;  but  to  steal,  to  creep  to 
a  man's  abode  secretly  at  dead  of  night  and  spoil  his  goods, 
was  looked  upon  as  infamy  of  the  worst  kind.  To  do  what 
lay  before  him  openly  and  like  a  man,  without  fear  of  either 
foes,  fiends,  or  fate;  to  hold  his  own  and  speak  his  mind, 

XXV 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

and  seek  fame  without  respect  of  persons;  to  be  free  and 
daring  in  all  his  deeds;  to  be  gentle  and  generous  to  his 
friends  and  kinsmen ;  to  be  stern  and  grim  to  his  foes,  but 
even  towards  them  to  feel  bound  to  fulfill  all  bounden  duties ; 
to  be  as  forgiving  to  some  as  he  was  unyielding  and  un- 
forgiving to  others.  To  be  no  trucebreaker,  nor  talebearer 
nor  backbiter.  To  utter  nothing  against  any  man  that  he 
would  not  dare  to  tell  him  to  his  face.  To  turn  no  man  from 
his  door  who  sought  food  or  shelter,  even  though  he  were 
a  foe — these  were  other  broad  principles  of  the  North- 
man's life,  further  features  of  that  steadfast  faithful  spirit 
which  he  brought  with  him  to  his  new  home.  .  .  . 

DAILY  LIFE  IN  NJAI/S  TIME. 

In  the  tenth  century  the  homesteads  of  the  Icelanders 
consisted  of  one  main  building,  in  which  the  family  lived 
by  day  and  slept  at  night,  and  of  out-houses  for  offices  and 
farm-buildings,  all  opening  on  a  yard.  Sometimes  these 
out-buildings  touched  the  main  building,  and  had  doors 
which  opened  into  it,  but  in  most  cases  they  stood  apart, 
and  for  purposes  of  defence,  no  small  consideration  in  those 
days,  each  might  be  looked  upon  as  a  separate  house. 

The  main  building  of  the  house  was  the  stofa,  or  sitting 
and  sleeping  room.  In  the  abodes  of  chiefs  and  great  men, 
this  building  had  great  dimensions,  and  was  then  called  a 
skali,  or  hall.  It  was  also  called  eldhus,  or  eldaskali,  from 
the  great  fires  which  burned  in  it.  ...  It  had  two  doors, 
the  men's  or  main  door,  and  the  women's  or  lesser  door. 
Each  of  these  doors  opened  into  a  porch  of  its  own, 
andyri,  which  was  often  wide  enough,  in  the  case  of 
that  into  which  the  men's  door  opened,  as  we  see  in 
Thrain's  house  at  Gritwater,  to  allow  many  men  to 
stand  in  it  abreast.  It  was  sometimes  called  forskali. 

xxvl 


DASENTS  INTRODUCTION 

Internally  the  hall  consisted  of  three  divisions,  a  nave  and 
two  low  side  aisles.  The  walls  of  these  aisles  were  of  stone, 
and  low  enough  to  allow  of  their  being  mounted  with  ease, 
as  we  see  happened  both  with  Gunnar's  skali,and  with  Njal's. 
The  centre  division  or  nave  on  the  other  hand,  rose  high 
above  the  others  on  two  rows  of  pillars.  It  was  of  timber, 
and  had  an  open  work  timber  roof.  The  roof  of  the  side 
aisles  were  supported  by  posts  as  well  as  by  rafters  and 
crossbeams  leaning  against  the  pillars  of  the  nave.  It  was 
on  one  of  these  crossbeams,  after  it  had  fallen  down  from 
the  burning  roof,  that  Kari  got  on  to  the  side  wall  and 
leapt  out,  while  Skarphedinn,  when  the  burnt  beam  snapped 
asunder  under  his  weight,  was  unable  to  follow  him.  There 
were  fittings  of  wainscot  along  the  walls  of  the  side  aisles, 
and  all  around  between  the  pillars  of  the  inner  row,  sup- 
porting the  roof  of  the  nave,  ran  a  wainscot  panel.  In 
places  the  wainscot  was  pierced  by  doors  opening  into  sleep- 
ing places  shut  off  from  the  rest  of  the  hall  on  all  sides  for 
the  heads  of  the  family.  In  other  parts  of  the  passages 
were  sleeping  places  and  beds  not  so  shut  off,  for  the  rest 
of  the  household.  The  women  servants  slept  in  the  passage 
behind  the  dais  at  one  end  of  the  hall.  Over  some  halls 
there  were  upper  chambers  or  lofts,  in  one  of  which  Gunnar 
of  Lithend  slept,  and  from  which  he  made  his  famous 
defence. 

We  have  hitherto  treated  only  of  the  passages  and  re- 
cesses of  the  side  aisles.  The  whole  of  the  nave  within  the 
wainscot,  between  the  inner  round  pillars,  was  filled  by  the 
hall  properly  so  called.  It  had  long  hearths  for  fires  in  the 
middle,  with  louvres  above  to  let  out  the  smoke.  On  either 
side  nearest  to  the  wainscot,  and  in  some  cases  touching  it, 
was  a  row  of  benches ;  in  each  of  these  was  a  high  seat, 
if  the  hall  was  that  of  a  great  man,  that  on  the  south  side 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

being  the  owner's  seat.  Before  these  seats  were  tables, 
boards,  which,  however,  do  not  seem,  any  more  than  our 
early  Middle  Age  tables,  to  have  been  always  kept  standing, 
but  were  brought  in  with,  and  cleared  away  after,  each 
meal.  On  ordinary  occasions,  one  row  of  benches  on  each 
side  sufficed;  but  when  there  was  a  great  feast,  or  a  sud- 
den rush  of  unbidden  guests,  as  when  Flosi  paid  his  visit 
to  Tongue  to  take  down  Asgrim's  pride,  a  lower  kind  of 
seats,  or  stools  were  brought  in,  on  which  the  men  of  lowest 
rank  sat,  and  which  were  on  the  outside  of  the  tables, 
nearest  to  the  fire.  At  the  end  of  the  hall,  over  against 
the  door,  was  a  raised  platform  or  dais,  on  which  also  was 
sometimes  a  high  seat  and  benches.  It  was  where  the 
women  sat  at  weddings,  as  we  see  from  the  account  of 
Hallgerda's  wedding,  in  our  Saga,  and  from  many  other 
passages. 

In  later  times  the  seat  of  honour  was  shifted  from  the 
upper  bench  to  the  dais;  and  this  seems  to  have  been  the 
case  occasionally  with  kings  and  earls  in  Njal's  time,  if  we 
may  judge  from  the  passage  in  the  Saga,  where  Hildigunna 
fits  up  a  high  seat  on  the  dais  for  Flosi,  which  he  spurns 
from  under  him  with  the  words,  that  he  was  "neither  king 
nor  earl,"  meaning  that  he  was  a  simple  man,  and  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  any  of  those  new  fashions.  It 
was  to  the  dais  that  Asgrim  betook  himself  when  Flosi 
paid  him  his  visit,  and  unless  Asgrim's  hall  was  much 
smaller  than  we  have  any  reason  to  suppose  would  be  the 
case  in  the  dwelling  of  so  great  a  chief,  Flosi  must  have 
eaten  his  meal  not  far  from  the  dais,  in  order  to  allow  of 
Asgrim's  getting  near  enough  to  aim  a  blow  at  him  with 
a  pole-axe  from  the  rail  at  the  edge  of  the  platform.  On 
high  days  and  feast  days,  part  of  the  hall  was  hung  with 
tapestry,  often  of  great  worth  and  beauty,  and  over  the 

xxviii 


DASENTS  INTRODUCTION 

hangings  all  along  the  wainscot,  were  carvings  such  as 
those  which  .  .  .  our  Saga  tells  us  Thorkel  Foulmouth 
had  carved  on  the  stool  before  his  high  seat  and  over  his, 
shut  bed,  in  memory  of  those  deeds  of  "derring  do"  which 
he  had  performed  in  foreign  lands. 

Against  the  wainscot  in  various  parts  of  the  hall, 
shields  and  weapons  were  hung.  It  was  the  sound  of 
Skarphedinn's  axe  against  the  wainscot  that  woke  up  Njal 
and  brought  him  out  of  his  shut  bed,  when  his  sons  set  out 
on  their  hunt  after  Sigmund  the  white  and  Skiold. 

Now  let  us  pass  out  of  the  skali  by  either  door,  and 
cast  our  eyes  at  the  high  gables  with  their  carved  projec- 
tions, and  we  shall  understand  at  a  glance  how  it  was  that 
Mord's  counsel  to  throw  ropes  round  the  ends  of  the 
timbers,  and  then  to  twist  them  tight  with  levers  and 
rollers,  could  only  end,  if  carried  out,  in  tearing  the  whole 
roof  off  the  house.  It  was  then  much  easier  work  for 
Gunnar's  foes  to  mount  up  on  the  side-roofs  as  the  Easter- 
ling,  who  brought  word  that  his  bill  was  at  home,  had 
already  done,  and  thence  to  attack  him  in  his  sleeping 
loft  with  safety  to  themselves,  after  his  bow-string  was 
cut. 

Some  homesteads,  like  those  of  Gunnar  at  Lithend, 
and  Gisli  and  his  brother  at  Hoi  in  Hawkdale,  in  the 
West  Firths,  had  bowers,  ladies'  chambers,  where  the 
women  sat  and  spun,  and  where,  in  both  the  houses  that 
we  have  named,  gossip  and  scandal  was  talked  with  the 
worst  results.  These  bowers  stood  apart  from  the  other 
buildings.  .  .  . 

Every  Icelandic  homestead  was  approached  by  a  straight 
road  which  led  up  to  the.  yard  round  which  the  main 
building  and  its  out-houses  and  farm-buildings  stood.  This 
was  fenced  in  on  each  side  by  a  wall  of  stones  or  turf. 

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DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

Near  the  house  stood  the  "town"  or  home  fields  where 
meadow  hay  was  grown,  and  in  favoured  positions  where 
corn  would  grow  there  were  also  enclosures  of  arable  land 
near  the  house.  On  the  uplands  and  marshes  more  hay 
was  grown.  Hay  was  the  great  crop  in  Iceland;  for  the 
large  studs  of  horses  and  great  herds  of  cattle  that  roamed 
up  on  the  hills  and  fells  in  summer  needed  fodder  in  the 
stable  and  byre  in  winter,  when  they  were  brought  home. 
As  for  the  flocks  of  sheep,  they  seem  to  have  been  reckoned 
and  marked  every  autumn,  and  milked  and  shorn  in  sum- 
mer; but  to  have  fought  it  out  with  nature  on  the  hill- 
side all  the  year  round  as  they  best  could.  Hay,  therefore, 
was  the  main  staple,  and  hay-making  the  great  end  and 
aim  of  an  Icelandic  farmer.  .  .  .  Gunnar's  death  in  our 
Saga  may  be  set  down  to  the  fact  that  all  his  men  were 
away  in  the  Landisles  finishing  their  haymaking.  Again, 
Flosi,  before  the  Burning,  bids  all  his  men  go  home  and 
make  an  end  of  their  haymaking,  and  when  that  is  over, 
to  meet  and  fall  on  Njal  and  his  sons.  Even  the  great 
duty  of  revenge  gives  way  to  the  still  more  urgent  duty  of 
providing  fodder  for  the  winter  store.  Hayneed,  to  run 
short  of  hay,  was  the  greatest  misfortune  that  could  befall 
a  man,  who  with  a  fine  herd  and  stud,  might  see  both 
perish  before  his  eyes  in  winter.  Then  it  was  that  men  of 
open  heart  and  hand,  like  Gunnar,  helped  their  tenants  and 
neighbours,  often,  as  we  see  in  Gunnar's  case,  till  they  had 
neither  hay  nor  food  enough  left  for  their  own  household, 
and  had  to  buy  or  borrow  from  those  that  had.  Then, 
too,  it  was  that  the  churl's  nature  came  out  in  Otkell  and 
others,  who  having  enough  and  to  spare,  would  not  part 
with  their  abundance  for  love  or  money. 

These  men  were  no  idlers.     They  laboured  hard,   and 
all,  high  or  low,  worked.     In  no  land  does  the  dignity  of 


DASENTS  INTRODUCTION 

labour  stand  out  so  boldly.  The  greatest  chiefs  sow  and 
reap,  and  drive  their  sheep,  like  Glum,  the  Speaker's 
brother,  from  the  fells.  The  mightiest  warriors  were  the 
handiest  carpenters  and  smiths.  Gisli  Sur's  son  knew 
every  corner  of  his  foeman's  house,  because  he  had  built  it 
with  his  own  hands  while  they  were  good  friends.  Njal's 
sons  were  busy  at  armourer's  work,  like  the  sons  of  the 
mythical  Ragnar  before  them,  when  the  news  comes  to 
them  that  Sigmund  has  made  a  mock  of  them  in  his  songs. 
Gunnar  sows  his  corn  with  his  arms  by  his  side,  when 
Otkell  rides  over  him ;  and  Hauskuld  the  Whiteness  priest 
is  doing  the  same  work  when  he  is  slain.  To  do  some- 
thing, and  to  do  it  well,  was  the  Icelander's  aim  in  life, 
and  in  no  land  does  laziness  like  that  of  Thorkell  meet 
with  such  well  deserved  reproach.  While  the  men  laboured 
on  the  farm  or  in  the  smithy,  threw  nets  for  fish  in  the 
teeming  lakes  and  rivers,  or  were  otherwise  at  work  during 
the  day,  the  women,  and  the  housewife,  or  mistress  of  the 
house,  at  their  head,  made  ready  the  food  for  the  meals, 
carded  wool,  and  sewed  or  wove  or  spun.  At  meal-time 
the  food  seems  to  have  been  set  on  the  board  by  the  women, 
who  waited  on  the  men,  and  at  great  feasts,  such  as  Gunnar's 
wedding,  the  wives  of  his  nearest  kinsmen,  and  of  his  dearest 
friend.  Thorhillda  Skaldtongue,  Thrain's  wife,  and  Berg- 
thora,  Njal's  wife,  went  about  from  board  to  board  waiting 
on  the  guests. 

In  everyday  life  they  were  a  simple  sober  people,  early 
to  bed  and  early  to  rise — ever  struggling  with  the  rigour 
of  the  climate.  On  great  occasions,  as  at  the  Yule  feasts 
in  honour  of  the  gods,  held  at  the  temples,  or  at  "arvel," 
"heir-ale,"  feasts,  when  heirs  drank  themselves  into  their 
father's  land  and  goods,  or  at  the  autumn  feasts,  which 
friends  and  kinsmen  gave  to  one  another,  there  was  no 

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DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

doubt  great  mirth  and  jollity,  much  eating  and  hard 
drinking  of  mead  and  fresh-brewed  ale;  but  these  drinks 
are  not  of  a  very  heady  kind,  and  one  glass  of  spirits  in 
our  days  would  send  a  man  farther  on  the  road  to  drunken- 
ness than  many  a  horn  of  foaming  mead.  They  were  by 
no  means  that  race  of  drunkards  and  hard  livers  which 
some  have  seen  fit  to  call  them. 

Nor  were  these  people  such  barbarians  as  some  have 
fancied,  to  whom  it  is  easier  to  rob  a  whole  people  of  its 
character  by  a  single  word  than  to  take  the  pains  to  in- 
quire into  its  history.  They  were  bold  warriors  and  bolder 
sailors.  The  voyage  between  Iceland  and  Norway,  or  Ice- 
land and  Orkney,  was  reckoned  as  nothing;  but  from  the 
west  firths  of  Iceland,  Eric  the  Red — no  ruffian  as  he  has 
been  styled,  though  he  had  committed  an  act  of  man- 
slaughter— discovered  Greenland;  and  from  Greenland  the 
hardy  seafarers  pushed  on  across  the  main,  till  they  made 
the  dreary  coast  of  Labrador.  Down  that  they  ran  until 
they  came  at  last  to  Vineland  the  good,  which  took  its 
name  from  the  grapes  that  grew  there.  From  the  accounts 
given  of  the  length  of  the  days  in  that  land,  it  is  now  the 
opinion  of  those  best  fitted  to  judge  on  such  matters,  that 
this  Vineland  was  no  other  than  some  part  of  the  North 
American  continent  near  Rhode  Island  or  Massachusetts, 
in  the  United  States.  Their  ships  were  half-decked,  high 
out  of  the  water  at  stem  and  stern,  low  in  the  waist,  that 
the  oars  might  reach  the  water,  for  they  were  made  for 
rowing  as  well  as  for  sailing.  The  after-part  had  a  poop. 
The  fore-part  seems  to  have  been  without  deck,  but  loose 
planks  were  laid  there  for  men  to  stand  on.  A  distinction 
was  made  between  long-ships  or  ships  of  war,  made  long  for 
speed,  and  .  .  .  ships  of  burden,  which  were  built  to  carry 
cargo.  The  common  complement  was  thirty  rowers,  which 

isxii 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

in  warships  made  sometimes  a  third  and  sometimes  a  sixth 
of  the  crew.  All  round  the  warships,  before  the  fight 
began,  shield  was  laid  on  shield,  on  a  rim  or  rail,  which 
ran  all  round  the  bulwarks,  presenting  a  mark  like  the 
hammocks  of  our  navy,  by  which  a  long-ship  could  be 
at  once  detected.  The  bulwarks  in  warships  could  be 
heightened  at  pleasure,  and  this  was  called  "to  girdle  the 
ship  for  war."  The  merchant  ships  often  carried  heavy 
loads  of  meal  and  timber  from  Norway,  and  many  a  one  of 
these  half-decked  yawls  no  doubt  foundered,  like  Flosi's 
unseaworthy  ship,  under  the  weight  of  her  heavy  burden 
of  beams  and  planks,  when  overtaken  by  the  autumnal 
gales  on  that  wild  sea.  The  passages  were  often  very  long, 
more  than  one  hundred  days  is  sometimes  mentioned  as  the 
time  spent  on  a  voyage  between  Norway  and  Iceland. 

As  soon  as  the  ship  reached  the  land,  she  ran  into  some 
safe  bay  or  creek,  the  great  landing  places  on  the  south 
and  south-east  coasts  being  Eyrar,  "The  Eres,"  as  such 
spots  are  still  called  in  some  parts  of  the  British  Isles,  that 
is,  the  sandy  beaches  opening  into  lagoons  which  line  the 
shore  of  the  marsh  district  called  Floi;  and  Hornfirth, 
whence  Flosi  and  the  Burners  put  to  sea  after  their  banish- 
ment. There  the  ship  was  laid  up  in  a  slip,  made  for  her, 
she  was  stripped  and  made  snug  for  the  winter,  a  roof  of 
planks  being  probably  thrown  over  her,  while  the  lighter 
portions  of  her  cargo  were  carried  on  pack-saddles  up  the 
country.  The  timber  seems  to  have  been  floated  up  the 
firths  and  rivers  as  near  as  it  could  be  got  to  its  destina- 
tion, and  then  dragged  by  trains  of  horses  to  the  spot 
where  it  was  to  be  used. 

Some  of  the  cargo — the  meal,  and  cloth  and  arms — was 
wanted  at  home;  some  of  it  was  sold  to  neighbours  either 
for  ready  money  or  on  trust,  it  being  usual  to  ask  for  the 

zxxiii 
3 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

debt  either  in  coin  or  in  kind,  the  spring  after.  Some- 
times the  account  remained  outstanding  for  a  much  longer 
time.  Among  these  men  whose  hands  were  so  swift  to 
shed  blood,  and  in  that  state  of  things  which  looks  so 
lawless,  but  which  in  truth  was  based  upon  fixed  principles 
of  justice  and  law,  the  rights  of  property  were  so  safe  that 
men  like  Njal  went  lending  their  money  to  overbearing 
fellows  like  Starkad  under  Threecorner  for  years,  on  con- 
dition that  he  should  pay  a  certain  rate  of  interest.  So 
also  Gunnar  had  goods  and  money  out  at  interest,  out  of 
which  he  wished  to  supply  Unna's  wants.  In  fact  the 
law  of  debtor  and  creditor,  and  of  borrowing  money  at 
usance,  was  well  understood  in  Iceland,  from  the  very  first 
day  that  the  Northmen  set  foot  on  its  shores. 

If  we  examine  the  condition  of  the  sexes  in  this  state 
of  society,  we  shall  find  that  men  and  women  met  very 
nearly  on  equal  terms.  If  any  woman  is  shocked  to  read 
how  Thrain  Sigfus'  son  treated  his  wife,  in  parting  from 
her,  and  marrying  a  new  one,  at  a  moment's  warning,  she 
must  be  told  that  Gudruna,  in  Laxdaela,  threatened  one 
of  her  three  husbands  with  much  the  same  treatment,  and 
would  have  put  her  threat  into  execution  if  he  had  not 
behaved  as  she  commanded  him.  In  our  Saga,  too,  the 
gudewife  of  Bjorn  the  boaster  threatens  him  with  a  sepa- 
ration if  he  does  not  stand  faithfully  by  Kari;  and  in 
another  Saga  of  equal  age  and  truthfulness,  we  hear  of  one 
great  lady  who  parted  from  her  husband  because,  in  play- 
fully throwing  a  pillow  of  down  at  her,  he  unwittingly 
struck  her  with  his  finger.  In  point  of  fact,  the  customary 
law  allowed  great  latitude  to  separations,  at  the  will  of 
either  party,  if  good  reason  could  be  shown  for  the  desired 
change.  It  was  regarded  the  worst  service  that  could  be 
rendered  to  those  whom  it  was  intended  to  protect  to 

xxxir 


DASENTS  INTRODUCTION 

force  two  people  to  live  together  against  their  will,  or 
even  against  the  will  of  only  one  of  them,  if  that  person 
considered  him  or  herself,  as  the  case  might  be,  ill-treated 
or  neglected.  Gunnar  no  doubt  could  have  separated 
himself  from  Hallgerda  for  her  thieving,  just  as  Hallgerda 
could  have  parted  from  Gunnar  for  giving  her  that  slap  in 
the  face;  but  they  lived  on,  to  Gunnar's  cost  and  Hallgerda's 
infamy.  In  marriage  contracts  the  rights  of  brides,  like 
Unna  the  great  heiress  of  the  south-west,  or  Hallgerda 
the  flower  of  the  western  dales,  were  amply  provided  for. 
In  the  latter  case  it  was  a  curious  fact  that  this  wicked 
woman  retained  possession  of  Laugarness,  near  Reykjavik 
(chief  city  of  Iceland),  which  was  part  of  her  second  hus- 
band Glum's  property,  to  her  dying  day,  and  there,  according 
to  constant  tradition,  she  was  buried  in  a  cairn  which  is 
still  shown  at  the  present  time,  and  which  is  said  to  be 
always  green,  summer  and  winter  alike.  Where  marriages 
were  so  much  matter  of  barter  and  bargain,  the  father's 
will  went  for  so  much  and  that  of  the  children  for  so  little, 
love  matches  were  comparatively  rare;  and  if  the  songs  of 
Gunnlaugr  Snaketongue  and  Kormak  have  described  the 
charms  of  the  fair  ones,  and  the  warmth  of  their  passion  in 
glowing  terms,  the  ordinary  Icelandic  marriage  of  the 
tenth  century  was  much  more  a  matter  of  business,  in  the 
first  place,  than  of  love.  Though  strong  affection  may  have 
sprung  up  afterwards  between  husband  and  wife,  the  love 
was  rather  a  consequence  of  the  marriage  than  the  marriage 
a  result  of  the  love. 

When  death  came  it  was  the  duty  of  the  next  of  kin 
to  close  the  eyes  and  nostrils  of  the  departed,  and  our  Saga, 
in  that  most  touching  story  of  Rodny's  behaviour  after 
the  death  of  her  son  Hauskuld,  affords  an  instance  of  the 
custom.  When  Njal  asks  why  she,  the  mother,  as  next  of 

XXXV 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

kin,  had  not  closed  the  eyes  and  nostrils  of  the  corpse,  the 
mother  answers,  "That  duty  I  meant  for  Skarphedinn." 
Skarphedinn  then  performs  the  duty,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  undertakes  the  duty  of  revenge.  In  heathen  times 
the  burial  took  place  on  a  "how"  or  cairn,  in  some  com- 
manding position  near  the  abode  of  the  dead,  and  now 
came  another  duty.  This  was  the  binding  on  of  the 
"hellshoes,"  which  the  deceased  was  believed  to  need  in 
heathen  times  on  his  way  either  to  Valhalla's  bright  hall 
of  warmth  and  mirth,  or  to  Hell's  dark  realm  of  cold  and 
sorrow.  That  duty  over,  the  body  was  laid  in  the  cairn 
with  goods  and  arms,  sometimes  as  we  see  was  the  case 
with  Gunnar  in  a  sitting  posture;  sometimes  even  in  a 
ship,  which  was  then  burned,  but  commonly  in  a  chamber 
formed  of  baulks  of  timber  or  blocks  of  stone,  over  which 
earth  and  gravel  were  piled.  .  .  . 

CONCLUSION. 

We  are  entitled  to  ask  in  what  work  of  any  age  are 
the  characters  so  boldly,  and  yet  so  delicately,  drawn  (as 
in  this  Saga)  ?  Where  shall  we  match  the  goodness  and 
manliness  of  Gunnar,  struggling  with  the  storms  of  fate, 
and  driven  on  by  the  wickedness  of  Hallgerda  into  quarrel 
after  quarrel,  which  were  none  of  his  own  seeking,  but  led 
no  less  surely  to  his  own  end?  Where  shall  we  match 
Hallgerda  herself — that  noble  frame,  so  fair  and  tall,  and 
yet  with  so  foul  a  heart,  the  abode  of  all  great  crimes,  and 
also  the  lurking  place  of  tale-bearing  and  thieving?  Where 
shall  we  find  parallels  to  Skarphedinn's  hastiness  and  readi- 
ness, as  axe  aloft  he  leapt  twelve  ells  across  Markfleet,  and 
glided  on  to  smite  Thrain  his  death-blow  on  the  slippery 
ice  ?  where  for  Bergthora's  love  and  tenderness  for  her  hus- 
band, she  who  was  given  young  to  Njal,  and  could  not 

xxivl 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

find  it  in  her  heart  to  part  with  him  when  the  house  blazed 
over  their  heads?  where  for  Kari's  dash  and  gallantry,  the 
man  who  dealt  his  blows  straightforward,  even  in  the  Earl's 
hall,  and  never  thought  twice  about  them?  where  for 
Njal  himself,  the  man  who  never  dipped  his  hands  in 
blood,  who  could  unravel  all  the  knotty  points  of  the  law; 
who  foresaw  all  that  was  coming,  whether  for  good  or  ill, 
for  friend  or  foe;  who  knew  what  his  own  end  would 
be,  though  quite  powerless  to  avert  it;  and  when  it  came, 
laid  him  down  to  his  rest,  and  never  uttered  sound  or 
groan,  though  the  flames  roared  loud  around  him?  Nor 
are  the  minor  characters  less  carefully  drawn,  the  scolding 
tongue  of  Thrain's  first  wife,  the  mischief-making  Thiostolf 
with  his  pole-axe,  which  divorced  Hallgerda's  first  hus- 
band, Hrut's  swordsmanship,  Asgrim's  dignity,  Gizur's 
good  counsel,  Snorre's  common  sense  and  shrewdness,  Gud- 
mund's  grandeur,  Thorgeir's  thirst  for  fame.  Kettle's  kind- 
liness, Ingialld's  heartiness,  and,  though  last  not  least, 
Bjorn's  boastfulness,  which  his  gudewife  is  ever  ready  to 
cry  down — are  all  sketched  with  a  few  sharp  strokes  which 
leave  their  mark  for  ever  on  the  reader's  mind. 

Strange!  were  it  not  that  human  nature  is  herself  in 
every  age,  that  such  forbearance  and  forgiveness  as  is 
shown  by  Njal  and  Hauskuld  and  Hall,  should  have  shot 
up  out  of  that  social  soil,  so  stained  and  steeped  with  the 
blood-shedding  of  revenge.  Revenge  was  the  great  duty 
of  Icelandic  life,  yet  Njal  is  always  ready  to  make  up  a 
quarrel,  though  he  acknowledges  the  duty,  when  he  refuses 
in  his  last  moments  to  outlive  his  children,  whom  he  feels 
himself  unable  to  revenge.  The  last  words  of  Hauskuld, 
when  he  was  foully  assassinated  through  the  tale-bearing  of 
Mord,  were,  "God  help  me  and  forgive  you ;"  nor  did 
the  beauty  of  a  Christian  spirit  ever  shine  out  more 

xxxvii 


DASENT'S  INTRODUCTION 

brightly  than  in  Hall,  who,  when  his  son  Ljot,  the  flower 
of  his  flock,  fell  full  of  youth,  and  strength,  and  promise, 
in  chance-medley  at  the  battle  on  the  Thingfield,  at  once 
for  the  sake  of  peace  gave  up  the  father's  and  the  freeman's 
dearest  rights,  those  of  compensation  and  revenge,  and 
allowed  his  son  to  fall  unatoned  in  order  that  peace  might 
be  made.  This  struggle  between  the  principle  of  an  old 
system  now  turned  to  evil,  and  that  of  a  new  state  of 
things  which  was  still  fresh  and  good,  between  heathendom 
as  it  sinks  into  superstition,  and  Christianity  before  it  has 
had  time  to  become  superstitious,  stands  strongly  forth  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  Saga;  but  as  yet  the  new  faith  can 
only  assert  its  forbearance  and  forgiveness  in  principle. 
It  had  not  had  time,  except  in  some  rare  instances,  to 
bring  them  into  play  in  daily  life.  Even  in  heathen  times 
such  a  deed  as  that  by  which  Njal  met  his  death,  to  hem  a 
man  in  within  his  house  and  then  to  burn  it  and  him  to- 
gether, to  choke  a  freeman,  as  Skarphedinn  says,  like  a  fox 
in  his  earth,  was  quite  against  the  free  and  open  nature  of 
the  race;  and  though  instances  of  such  foul  deeds  occur 
besides  those  two  great  cases  of  Blundkettle  and  Njal,  still 
they  were  always  looked  upon  as  atrocious  crimes  and 
punished  accordingly.  No  wonder,  therefore,  then  that 
Flosi,  after  the  Change  of  Faith,  when  he  makes  up  his 
mind  to  fire  Njal's  house,  declares  the  deed  to  be  one  for 
which  they  would  have  to  answer  heavily  before  God, 
"seeing  that  we  are  Christian  men  ourselves.".  .  . 

It  is  a  comfort  to  find,  after  the  whole  fitful  story  has  been 
worked  out,  after  passing  from  page  to  page,  every  one  of 
which  reeks  with  gore,  to  find  that  after  all  there  were 
even  in  that  bloodthirsty  Iceland  of  the  tenth  century  such 
things  as  peaceful  old  age  and  happy  firesides,  and  loyal 
friendships. 

xxxviii 


ICELANDIC  CHRONOLOGY. 


A.D. 

850.  Birth  of  Harold  Fairhair. 

860.  Harold  Fairhair  comes  to  the  throne. 

870.  Harold  Fairhair  sole  King  in  Norway. 

871.  Ingolf  sets   out   for  Iceland. 

872.  Battle   of   Hafrsfirth    (HafrsfjSrdr). 

874.  Ingolf   and    Leif   go   to   settle   in   Iceland. 

880-884.  Harold  Fairhair  roots  out  the  Vikings  in  the  west. 

888.  Fall  of  Thorstein  the  Red  in  Scotland. 

877.  Kettle  Haeng  goes  to  Iceland. 

890-900.  Rush  of  settlers  from  the  British  Isles   to  Iceland. 

892.  Aud  the  very  wealthy  comes  to  Iceland. 

900-920.  The    third    period   of   the    Landndmstide. 

920.  Harold  Fairhair  shares  the  kingdom  with  his  sons. 

923.  Hrut  Hauskuld's  brother  born. 

929.  Althing  established. 

930.  Hrafn  Kettle  Hang's  son  Speaker  of  the  law. 
930-935.  Njal  born. 

930.     The  Fleetlithe   feud  begins. 
933.      Death  of  Harold  Fairhair. 

940.  End  of  the  Fleetlithe  feud;  Fiddle  Mord  a  man  of  rank; 

Hamond  Gunnar's  son  marries  Mord's  sister  Rann- 
veiga. 

941.  Fall  of  King  Eric  Bloodaxe. 
c.  945.     Gunnar  of  Lithend  born. 

955-960.     Njal's  sons   born. 

959.  Glum    marries   Hallgerda. 

960.  Fall   of    King  Hacon;    Athelstane's   foster-child,   Harold 

Grayfell,   King  in  Norway. 
963.     Hrut  goes  abroad. 
965.     Hrut    returns    to    Iceland    and    marries     Unna    Mord's 

daughter. 

968.  Unna   parts    from   Hrut. 

969.  Fiddle   Mord   and    Hrut   strive   at  the   Althing;    Fall   of 

King  Harold  Grayfell;  Earl  Hacon  rules  in  Norway. 
970-971.     Fiddle   Mord's    death;    Gunnar   and   Hrut  strive   at   the 

Althing. 

972.     Gunnar    of   Lithend   goes   abroad. 
974.     Gunnar  returns  to  Iceland. 

974.  Gunnar's   marriage   with  Hallgerda. 

975.  The   slaying  of  Swart. 

976.  The  slaying  of  Kol. 

977.  The  slaying  of  Atli. 

978.  The  slaying  of  Brynjolf  the  Unruly  and  Thord  Freed- 
manson. 

979.  The  slaying  of  Sigmund  the  White. 

983.  Hallgerda  steals   from   Otkell  at  Kirkby. 

984.  The  suit  for  the  theft  settled  at  the  Althing. 

985.  Otkell  rides  over  Gunnar  in  the  spring;  fight  at  Rangr- 

river  just  before  the  Althing;  at  the  Althing  Geir 
the  priest  and  Gunnar  strive;  in  the  autumn  Hauskuld 
Dale-Kolli's  son,  Gunnar's  father-in-law,  dies;  birth  of 
Hauskuld  Thrain's  son. 

xxxix 


ICELANDIC  CHRONOLOGY 


A.D. 

986.  The  fight  at  Knafahllls,   and   death   of  Hjort  Gunnar's 

brother. 

987.  The   suit   for   those   slain   at   Knafahllls   settled   at   the 

Althing. 

988.  Gunnar  goes  west  to  visit  Olaf  the  Peacock. 

989.  Slaying  of  Thorgelr  Otkell's  son  before,  and  banishment 

of  Gunnar  at  the  Althing;  Njal's  sons,  Helgi  and 
Grim,  and  Thrain  Sigfus'  son,  go  abroad. 

990.  Gunnar  slain  at  Lithend. 

992.  Thrain  returns  to  Iceland  with  Hrapp;  Njal's  sons  Ill- 
treated  by  Earl  Hacon  for  his  sake. 

994.  Njal's  sons  return  to  Iceland,  bringing  Karl  with  them. 

995.  Death  of  Earl  Hacori;  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son  King  of  Nor- 

way. 

996.  Skarphedinn  slays  Thrain. 

997.  Thangbrand  sent  by    King  Olaf   to  preach  Christianity 

in  Iceland. 

998.  Slaying  of  Arnor  of  Forswaterwood  by  Flosi's  brothers 

at  Skaptarfells  Thing;  Thangbrand's  missionary  jour- 
ney; Gizur  and  Hjallti  go  abroad. 

999.  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  found  guilty  of  blasphemy  against 

the  Gods  at  the  Althing;  Thangbrand  returns  to  Nor- 
way. 

1000.  Gizur    and    Hjallti    return    to    Iceland;    the    Change    of 

Faith  and  Christianity  brought  into  the  law  at  the  Al- 
thing on  St.  John  day,  24th  June;  fall  of  King  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son  at  Svoldr,  9th  September. 

1001.  Thorgeir  the  priest  of  Lightwater  gives  up  the  Speaker- 

ship  of  the  Law. 

1002.  Grim   of  Mossfell  Speaker  of  the  Law. 

1003.  Grim  lays  down  the  Speakership. 

1003  or  1004.     Skapti    Thorod's    son    Speaker    of    the    Law,    the    Fifth 

Court    established;     Hauskuld     Thrain's     son     marries 

Hildigunna    Flosi's    niece    and    has    one    of    the    new 

priesthoods  at  Whiteness. 

1006.     Duels   abolished    in   legal   matters;    slaying  of  Hauskuld 

Njal's  son  by  Lyting  and  his  brothers. 

1009.  Amund  the  blind  slays  Lyting;  Valgard  the  Guileful 
comes  back  to  Iceland;  his  evil  counsel  to  Mord;  Mord 
begins  to  backbite  and  slander  Hauskuld  and  Njal's 
sons  to  one  another. 

1111.  Hauskuld  the  Whiteness  priest  slain  early  In  the  spring; 

suit  for  his  manslaughter  at  the  Althing;  Njal's  Burn- 
ing the  autumn  after. 

1112.  The   suit   for    the    Burning   and    battle   at   the    Althing; 

Flosl  and  the  Burners  banished;  Karl  and  Thorgeir 
Craggeir  carry  on  the  feud. 

1113.  Flosl   goes  abroad  with  the   Burners,   and  Karl   follows 

them;  Flosi  and  Kari  in  Orkney. 

1114.  Brian's  battle  on  Good  Friday;  Flosi  goes  to  Rome. 

1115.  Flosl    returns    from    Rome    to   Norway,   and   stays    with 

Earl  Eric,  Earl  Hacon's  son. 

1116.  Flosi  returns  to  Iceland;  Kari  goes  to  Rome  and  returns 

to  Caithness;  his  wife  Helga  dies  out  in  Iceland. 

1117.  Karl   returns    to   Iceland,    is    reconciled    with    Flosi,   and 

marries  Hildigunna  Hauskuld' s  widow. 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 


CHAPTER  I. 
OF  FIDDLE  MORD. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Mord  whose  surname  was 
Fiddle;  he  was  the  son  of  Sigvat  the  Red,  and  he  dwelt 
at  the  "Vale"  in  the  Rangrivervales.  He  was  a  mighty 
chief,  and  a  great  taker  up  of  suits,  and  so  great  a  lawyer 
that  no  judgments  were  thought  lawful  unless  he  had  a 
hand  in  them.  He  had  an  only  daughter,  named  Unna. 
She  was  a  fair,  courteous  and  gifted  woman,  and  that 
was  thought  the  best  match  in  all  the  Rangrivervales. 

Now  the  story  turns  westward  to  the  Broadfirth  dales, 
where,  at  Hauskuldstede,  in  Laxriverdale,  dwelt  a  man 
named  Hauskuld,  who  was  Dalakoll's  son,  and  his 
mother's  name  was  Thorgerda.  He  had  a  brother  named 
Hrut,  who  dwelt  in  Hrutstede;  he  was  of  the  same 
mother  as  Hauskuld,  but  his  father's  name  was  Heriolf. 
Hrut  was  handsome,  tall  and  strong,  well  skilled  in  arms, 
and  mild  of  temper;  he  was  one  of  the  wisest  of  men — 
stern  towards  his  foes,  but  a  good  counsellor  on  great 
matters.  It  happened  once  that  Hauskuld  bade  his 
friends  to  a  feast,  and  his  brother  Hrut  was  there  and 
sat  next  him.  Hauskuld  had  a  daughter  named  Hall- 
gerda,  who  was  playing  on  the  floor  with  some  other 
girls.  She  was  fair  of  face  and  tall  of  growth,  and  her 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

hair  was  as  soft  as  silk ;  it  was  so  long,  too,  that  it  came 
down  to  her  waist.  Hauskuld  called  out  to  her, 
"Come  hither  to  me,  daughter."  So  she  went  up  to  him, 
and  he  took  her  by  the  chin,  and  kissed  her;  and  after 
that  she  went  away. 

Then  Hauskuld  said  to  Hrut,  "What  dost  thou  think 
of  this  maiden?  is  she  not  fair?"  Hrut  held  his  peace. 
Hauskuld  said  the  same  thing  to  him  a  second  time, 
and  then  Hrut  answered,  "Fair,  enough  is  this  maid, 
and  many  will  smart  for  it,  but  this  I  know  not,  whence 
thief's  eyes  have  come  into  our  race."  Then  Hauskuld 
was  wroth,  and  for  a  time  the  brothers  saw  little  of 
each  other. 

CHAPTER  II. 

• 

ATLI  ARNVID  SON^S  SLAYING. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Atli,  son  of  Arnvid,  Earl  of 
East  Gothland.  He  had  kept  back  the  taxes  from  Hacon 
Athelstane's  foster  child,  and  both  father  and  son  had 
fled  away  from  Jemtland  to  Gothland.  After  that,  Atli 
held  on  with  his  followers  out  of  the  Maelar  by  Stock 
Sound,  and  so  on  towards  Denmark,  and  now  he  lies  out 
in  Oresound.1  He  is  an  outlaw  both  of  the  Dane-King 
and  of  the  Swede-King.  Hrut  held  on  south  to  the 
Sound,  and  when  he  came  into  it  he  saw  many  ships  in 
the  Sound.  Then  Wolf  said : 

"What's  best  to  be  done  now,  Icelander?" 

"Hold  on  our  course,"  says  Hrut,  "for  nothing  ven- 

1Oresound,  the  gut  between  Denmark  and  Sweden,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Baltic,  commonly  called  in  English,  The  Sound. 


ATLI  ARNVW  SON'S  SLAYING 

ture,  nothing  have.    My  ship  and  Auzur's  shall  go  first, 
but  thou  shalt  lay  thy  ship  where  thou  likest." 

"Seldom  have  I  had  others  as  a  shield  before  me," 
says  Wolf,  and  lays  his  galley  side  by  side  with  Hrut's 
ship;  and  so  they  hold  on  through  the  Sound.  Now 
those  who  are  in  the  Sound  see  that  ships  are  coming  up 
to  them,  and  they  tell  Atli. 

He  answered,  "Then  maybe  there'll  be  gain  to  be 
got." 

After  that  men  took  their  stand  on  board  each  ship; 
"but  my  ship,"  says  Atli,  "shall  be  in  the  midst  of  the 
fleet."  ' 

Meantime  Hrut's  ships  ran  on,  and  as  soon  as  either 
side  could  hear  the  other's  hail,  Atli  stood  up  and  said — 

"Ye  fare  unwarily.  Saw  ye  not  that  war-ships  were 
in  the  Sound?  But  what's  the  name  of  your  chief?" 

Hrut  tells  his  name. 

"Whose  man  art  thou?"  says  Atli. 

"One  of  king  Harold  Grayfell's  body-guard." 

Atli  said,  "'Tis  long  since  any  love  was  lost  between 
us,  father  and  son,  and  your  Norway  kings." 

"Worse  luck  for  thee,"  says  Hrut. 

"Well,"  says  Atli,  "the  upshot  of  our  meeting  will 
be,  that  thou  shalt  not  be  left  alive  to  tell  the  tale;"  and 
with  that  he  caught  up  a  spear  and  hurled  it  at  Hrut's 
ship,  and  the  man  who  stood  before  it  got  his  death. 
After  that  the  battle  began,  and  they  were  slow  in  board-  " 
ing  Hrut's  ship.  Wolf,  he  went  well  forward,  and  with 
him  it  was  now  cut,  now  thrust.  Atli's  bowman's  name 
was  Asolf;  he  sprung  up  on  Hrut's  ship,  and  was  four 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

men's  death  before  Hrut  was  ware  of  him;  then  he 
turned  against  him,  and  when  they  met,  Asolf  thrust  at 
and  through  Hrut's  shield,  but  Hrut  cut  once  at  Asolf, 
and  that  was  his  death-blow.  Wolf  the  Unwashed  saw 
that  stroke,  and  called  out — 

"Truth  to  say,  Hrut,  thou  dealest  big  blows,  but 
thou'st  much  to  thank  Gunnhilda  for." 

"Something  tells  me,"  says  Hrut,  "that  thou  speakest 
with  a  'fey'  mouth." 

Now  Atli  sees  a  bare  place  for  a  weapon  on  Wolf,  and 
shot  a  spear  through  him,  and  now  the  battle  grows  hot ; 
Atli  leaps  up  on  Hrut's  ship,  and  clears  it  fast  round 
about,  and  now  Auzur  turns  to  meet  him,  and  thrust  at 
him,  but  fell  down  full  length  on  his  back,  for  another 
man  thrust  at  him.  Now  Hrut  turns  to  meet  Atli;  he 
cut  at  once  at  Hrut's  shield,  and  clove  it  all  in  two,  from 
top  to  point ;  just  then  Atli  got  a  blow  on  his  hand  from 
a  stone,  and  down  fell  his  sword.  Hrut  caught  up  the 
sword,  and  cut  his  foot  from  under  him.  After  that  he 
dealt  him  his  death-blow.  There  they  took  much  goods, 
and  brought  away  with  them  two  ships  which  were  best, 
and  stayed  there  only  a  little  while.  But  meantime  Soti 
and  his  crew  had  sailed  past  them,  and  he  held  on  his 
course  back  to  Norway,  and  made  the  land  at  Limgard's 
side.  There  Soti  went  on  shore,  and  there  he  met  Aug- 
mund,  Gunnhilda's  page;  he  knew  him  at  once,  and  asks — 

"How  long  meanest  thou  to  be  here?" 

"Three  nights,"  says  Soti. 

"Whither  away,  then?"  says  Augmund. 

"West  to  England,"  says  Soti,  "and  never  to  come 


HRUT  SAILS  OUT  TO  ICELAND 

back  again  to  Norway  while  Gunnhillda's  rule  is  in  Nor- 
way." 

Augmund  went  away,  and  goes  and  finds  Gunnhillda, 
for  she  was  a  little  way  off,  at  a  feast,  and  Gudred,  her 
son,  with  her.  Augmund  told  Gunnhillda  what  Soti 
meant  to  do,  and  she  begged  Gudred  to  take  his  life.  So 
Gudred  set  off  at  once,  and  came  unawares  on  Soti,  and 
made  them  lead  up  the  country,  and  hang  him  there. 
But  the  goods  he  took,  and  brought  them  to  his  mother, 
and  she  got  men  to  carry  them  all  down  to  the  King's 
Crag,  and  after  that  she  went  thither  herself. 

Hrut  came  back  towards  autumn,  and  had  gotten 
great  store  of  goods.  He  went  at  once  to  the  king,  and 
had  a  hearty  welcome.  He  begged  them  to  take  whatever 
they  pleased  of  his  goods,  and  the  king  took  a  third. 
Gunnhillda  told  Hrut  how  she  had  got  hold  of  the  in- 
heritance, and  had  Soti  slain.  He  thanked  her,  and  gave 
her  half  of  all  he  had. 

CHAPTER  III. 

HRUT  SAILS  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 

HRUT  stayed  with  the  king  that  winter  in  good  cheer, 
but  when  spring  came  he  grew  very  silent.  Gunnhillda 
finds  that  out,  and  said  to  him  when  they  two  were  alone 
together — 

"Art  thou  sick  at  heart?" 

"So  it  is,"  said  Hrut,  "as  the  saying  runs — '111  goes  it 
with  those  who  are  born  on  a  barren  land.' ' 

"Wilt  thou  to  Iceland?"  she  asks. 

"Yes,"  he  answered. 

5 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Hast  thou  a  wife  out  there?"  she  asked,  and  he  an- 
swers, "No." 

"But  I  am  sure  that  is  true,"  she  says;  and  so  they 
ceased  talking  about  the  matter. 

(Shortly  after)  Hrut  went  before  the  king  and  bade 
him  "good  day;"  and  the  king  said,  "What  does  thou 
want  now,  Hrut?" 

"I  am  come  to  ask,  lord,  that  you  give  me  leave  to  go 
to  Iceland." 

"Will  thine  honour  be  greater  there  than  here?"  asks 
the  king. 

"No,  it  will  not,"  said  Hrut ;  "but  every  one  must  win 
the  work  that  is  set  before  him." 

"It  is  pulling  a  rope  against  a  strong  man,"  said  Gunn- 
hillda,  "so  give  him  leave  to  go  as  best  suits  him." 

There  was  a  bad  harvest  that  year  in  the  land,  yet 
Gunnhillda  gave  Hrut  as  much  meal  as  he  chose  to  have ; 
and  now  he  busks  him  to  sail  out  to  Iceland,  and  Auzur 
with  him;  and  when  they  were  all-boun,  Hrut  went  to 
find  the  king  and  Gunnhillda.  She  led  him  aside  to  talk 
alone,  and  said  to  him — 

"Here  is  a  gold  ring  which  I  will  give  thee;"  and  with 
that  she  clasped  it  round  his  wrist. 

"Many  good  gifts  have  I  had  from  thee,"  said  Hrut. 

Then  she  put  her  hands  round  his  neck  and  kissed 
him,  and  said — 

"If  I  have  as  much  power  over  thee  as  I  think,  I  lay 
this  spell  on  thee  that  thou  mayest  never  have  any  pleas- 
ure in  living  with  that  woman  on  whom  thy  heart  is  set 
in  Iceland,  but  with  other  women  thou  mayest  get  on  well 

6 


HRUT  SAILS  OUT  TO  ICELAND 

enough,  and  now  it  is  like  to  go  well  with  neither  of  us ; 
— but  thou  has  not  believed  what  I  have  been  saying." 

Hrut  laughed  when  he  heard  that,  and  went  away;  af- 
ter that  he  came  before  the  king  and  thanked  him;  and 
the  king  spoke  kindly  to  him,  and  bade  him  "farewell." 
Hrut  went  straight  to  his  ship,  and  they  had  a  fair  wind 
all  the  way  until  they  ran  into  Borgarfirth. 

As  soon  as  the  ship  was  made  fast  to  the  land,  Hrut 
rode  west  home,  but  Auzur  stayed  by  the  ship  to  unload 
her,  and  lay  her  up.  Hrut  rode  straight  to  Hauskuld- 
stede,  and  Hauskuld  gave  him  a  hearty  welcome,  and 
Hrut  told  him  all  about  his  travels.  After  that  they  sent 
men  east  across  the  rivers  to  tell  Fiddle  Mord  to  make 
ready  for  the  bridal  feast;  but  the  two  brothers  rode  to 
the  ship,  and  on  the  way  Hauskuld  told  Hrut  how  his 
money  matters  stood,  and  his  goods  had  gained  much 
since  he  was  away.  Then  Hrut  said — 

"The  reward  is  less  worth  than  it  ought  to  be,  but  I 
will  give  thee  as  much  meal  as  thou  needst  for  thy  house- 
hold next  winter." 

Then  they  drew  the  ship  on  land  on  rollers,  and  made 
her  snug  in  her  shed,  but  all  the  wares  on  board  her 
they  carried  away  into  the  Dales  westward.  Hrut  stayed 
at  home  at  Hrutstede  till  winter  was  six  weeks  off,  and 
then  the  brothers  made  ready,  and  Auzur  with  them,  to 
ride  to  Hrut's  wedding.  Sixty  men  ride  with  them,  and 
they  rode  east  till  they  came  to  Rangriver  plains.  There 
they  found  a  crowd  of  guests,  and  the  men  took  their 
seats  on  benches  down  the  length  of  the  hall,  but  the 
women  were  seated  on  the  cross  benches  on  the  dais,  and 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

the  bride  was  rather  downcast.  So  they  drank  out  the 
feast  and  it  went  off  well.  Mord  pays  down  his  daugh- 
ter's portion,  and  she  rides  west  with  her  husband  and  his 
train.  So  they  ride  till  they  reach  home.  Hrut  gave 
over  everything  into  her  hands  inside  the  house,  and  all 
were  pleased  at  that;  but  for  all  that  she  and  Hrut  did 
not  pull  well  together  as  man  and  wife,  and  so  things 
went  on  till  spring,  and  when  spring  came  Hrut  had  a 
journey  to  make  to  the  Westfirths,  to  get  in  the  money 
for  which  he  had  sold  his  wares ;  but  before  he  set  off  his 
wife  says  to  him — 

"Dost  thou  mean  to  be  back  before  men  ride  to  the 
Thing?" 

"Why  dost  thou  ask?"  said  Hrut. 

"I  will  ride  to  the  Thing,"  she  said,  "to  meet  my 
father." 

"So  it  shall  be,"  said  he,  "and  I  will  ride  to  the  Thing 
along  with  thee." 

"Well  and  good,"  she  says. 

After  that  Hrut  rode  from  home  west  to  the  Firths, 
got  in  all  his  money,  and  laid  it  out  anew,  and  rode  home 
again.  When  he  came  home  he  busked  him  to  ride  to  the 
Thing,  and  made  all  his  neighbours  ride  with  him.  His 
brother  Hauskuld  rode  among  the  rest.  Then  Hrut  said 
to  his  wife — 

"If  thou  hast  as  much  mind  now  to  go  to  the  Thing 
as  thou  saidst  a  while  ago,  busk  thyself  and  ride  along 
with  me." 

She  was  not  slow  in  getting  herself  ready,  and  then 
they  all  rode  to  the  Thing.  Unna  went  to  her  father's 

8 


HRUT  SAILS  OUT  TO  ICELAND 

booth,  and  he  gave  her  a  hearty  welcome,  but  she  seemed 
somewhat  heavy-hearted,  and  when  he  saw  that  he  said 
to  her — 

"I  have  seen  thee  with  a  merrier  face.  Has  thou  any- 
thing on  thy  mind  ?" 

She  began  to  weep,  and  answered  nothing.  Then  he 
said  to  her  again,  "Why  dost  thou  ride  to  the  Thing,  if 
thou  wilt  not  tell  me  thy  secret?  Dost  thou  dislike  liv- 
ing away  there  in  the  west?" 

Then  she  answered  him — 

"I  would  give  all  I  own  in  the  world  that  I  had  never 
gone  thither." 

"Well!"  said  Mord,  "I'll  soon  get  to  the  bottom  of 
this."  Then  he  sends  men  to  fetch  Hauskuld  and  Hrut, 
and  they  came  straightway;  and  when  they  came  in  to 
see  Mord,  he  rose  up  to  meet  them  and  gave  them  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  asked  them  to  sit  down.  Then  they 
talked  a  long  time  in  a  friendly  way,  and  at  last  Mord 
said  to  Hauskuld — 

"Why  does  my  daughter  think  so  ill  of  life  in  the  west 
yonder?" 

"Let  her  speak  out,"  said  Hrut,  "if  she  has  anything 
to  lay  to  my  charge." 

But  she  brought  no  charge  against  him.  Then  Hrut 
made  them  ask  his  neighbours  and  household  how  he 
treated  her,  and  all  bore  him  good  witness,  saying  that 
she  did  just  as  she  pleased  in  the  house. 

Then  Mord  said,  "Home  thou  shalt  go,  and  be  content 
with  thy  lot ;  for  all  the  witness  goes  better  for  him  than 
for  thee." 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

After  that  Hrut  rode  home  from  the  Thing,  and  his 
wife  with  him,  and  all  went  smoothly  between  them  that 
summer ;  but  when  spring  came  it  was  the  old  story  over 
again,  and  things  grew  worse  and  worse  as  the  spring 
went  on.  Hrut  had  again  a  journey  to  make  west  to  the 
Firths,  and  gave  out  that  he  would  not  ride  to  the  Al- 
thing, but  Unna  his  wife  said  little  about  it.  So  Hrut 
went  away  west  to  the  Firths. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

UNNA  SEPARATES  FROM  HRUT. 

Now  the  time  for  the  Thing  was  coming  on.  Unna 
spoke  to  Sigmund  Auzur's  son,  and  asked  if  he  would 
ride  to  the  Thing  with  her;  he  said  he  could  not  ride 
if  his  kinsman  Hrut  set  his  face  against  it. 

"Well!"  says  she,  "I  spoke  to  thee  because  I  have  bet- 
ter right  to  ask  this  from  thee  than  from  any  one  else." 

He  answered,  "I  will  make  a  bargain  with  thee;  thou 
must  promise  to  ride  back  west  with  me,  and  to  have  no 
underhand  dealings  against  Hrut  or  myself." 

So  she  promised  that,  and  then  they  rode  to  the  Thing, 
Her  father  Mord  was  at  the  Thing,  and  was  very  glad 
to  see  her,  and  asked  her  to  stay  in  his  booth  while  the 
Thing  lasted,  and  she  did  so. 

"Now,"  said  Mord,  "what  hast  thou  to  tell  me  of  thy 
mate,  Hrut?" 

Then  she  sung  him  a  song,  in  which  she  praised  Hrut's 
liberality,  but  said  he  was  not  master  of  himself.  She 
herself  was  ashamed  to  speak  out. 

Mord  was  silent  a  short  time,  and  then  said  — 

10 


UNNA  SEPARATES  FROM  HRUT 

"Thou  hast  now  that  on  thy  mind  I  see,  daughter, 
which  thou  dost  not  wish  that  any  one  should  know  save 
myself,  and  thou  wilt  trust  to  me  rather  than  any  one 
else  to  help  thee  out  of  thy  trouble." 

Then  they  went  aside  to  talk,  to  a  place  where  none 
could  overhear  what  they  said;  and  then  Mord  said  to 
his  daughter — 

"Now  tell  me  all  that  is  between  you  two,  and  don't 
make  more  of  the  matter  than  it  is  worth." 

"So  it  shall  be,"  she  answered,  and  sang  two  songs,  in 
which  she  revealed  the  cause  of  their  misunderstanding, 
and  when  Mord  pressed  her  to  speak  out,  she  told  him 
how  she  and  Hrut  could  not  live  together,  because  he  was 
spell-bound,  and  that  she  wished  to  leave  him. 

"Thou  didst  right  to  tell  me  all  this,"  said  Mord,  "and 
now  I  will  give  thee  a  piece  of  advice,  which  will  stand 
thee  in  good  stead,  if  thou  canst  carry  it  out  to  the  letter. 
First  of  all,  thou  must  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and 
by  that  time  thy  husband  will  have  come  back,  and  will 
be  glad  to  see  thee;  thou  must  be  blithe  and  buxom  to 
him,  and  he  will  think  a  good  change  has  come  over  thee, 
and  thou  must  show  no  signs  of  coldness  or  ill-temper, 
but  when  the  spring  comes  thou  must  sham  sickness,  and 
take  to  thy  bed.  Hrut  will  not  lose  time  in  guessing  what 
thy  sickness  can  be,  nor  will  he  scold  thee  at  all,  but  he 
will  rather  beg  every  one  to  take  all  the  care  they  can  of 
thee.  After  that  he  will  set  off  west  to  the  Firths,  and 
Sigmund  with  him,  for  he  will  have  to  flit  all  his  goods 
home  from  the  Firths  west,  and  he  will  be  away  till  the 
summer  is  far  spent.  But  when  men  ride  to  the  Thing, 

ii 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

and  after  all  have  ridden  from  the  Dales  that  mean  to 
ride  thither,  then  thou  must  rise  from  thy  bed  and  sum- 
mon men  to  go  along  with  thee  to  the  Thing;  and  when 
thou  art  all-boun,  then  shalt  thou  go  to  thy  bed,  and  the 
men  with  thee  who  are  to  bear  thee  company,  and  thou 
shalt  take  witness  before  thy  husband's  bed,  and  declare 
thyself  separated  from  him  by  such  a  lawful  separation 
as  may  hold  good  according  to  the  judgment  of  the 
Great  Thing,  and  the  laws  of  the  land ;  and  at  the  man's 
door  (the  main  door  of  the  house)  thou  shalt  take  the 
same  witness.  After  that  ride  away,  and  ride  over  Lax- 
riverdale  Heath,  and  so  on  over  Holtbeacon  Heath ;  for 
they  will  look  for  thee  by  way  of  Hrutfirth.  And  so 
ride  on  till  thou  comest  to  me;  then  I  will  see  after  the 
matter.  But  into  his  hands  thou  shalt  never  come  more." 

Now  she  rides  home  from  the  Thing,  and  Hrut  had 
come  back  before  her,  and  made  her  hearty  welcome. 
She  answered  him  kindly,  and  was  blithe  and  forbearing 
towards  him.  So  they  lived  happily  together  that  half- 
year;  but  when  spring  came  she  fell  sick,  and  kept  her 
bed.  Hrut  set  off  west  to  the  Firths,  and  bade  them  tend 
her  well  before  he  went.  Now,  when  the  time  for  the 
Thing  comes,  she  busked  herself  to  ride  away,  and  did 
in  every  way  as  had  been  laid  down  for  her;  and  then 
she  rides  away  to  the  Thing.  The  country  folk  looked 
for  her,  but  could  not  find  her.  Mord  made  his  daugh- 
ter welcome,  and  asked  her  if  she  had  followed  his  ad- 
vice; and  she  says,  "I  have  not  broken  one  tittle  of  it." 

Then  she  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  declared  her- 
self separated  from  Hrut;  and  men  thought  this  strange 

12 


MORD  CLAIMS  HIS  GOODS  FROM  HRUT 

news.    Unna  went  home  with  her  father,  and  never  went 
west  from  that  day  forward. 

CHAPTER  V. 

MORD   CLAIMS  HIS  GOODS   FROM    HRUT. 

HRUT  came  home,  and  knit  his  brows  when  he  heard 
his  wife  was  gone,  but  yet  kept  his  feelings  well  in  hand, 
and  stayed  at  home  all  that  half-year,  and  spoke  to  no 
one  on  the  matter.  Next  summer  he  rode  to  the  Thing, 
with  his  brother  Hauskuld,  and  they  had  a  great  follow- 
ing. But  when  he  came  to  the  Thing,  he  asked  whether 
Fiddle  Mord  were  at  the  Thing,  and  they  told  him  he 
was;  and  all  thought  they  would  come  to  words  at  once 
about  their  matter,  but  it  was  not  so.  At  last,  one  day 
when  the  brothers  and  others  who  were  at  the  Thing 
went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  Mord  took  witness  and  declared 
that  he  had  a  money-suit  against  Hrut  for  his  daugh- 
ter's dower,  and  reckoned  the  amount  at  ninety  hundreds 
in  goods,  calling  on  Hrut  at  the  same  time  to  pay  and 
hand  it  over  to  him,  and  asking  for  a  fine  of  three  marks. 
He  laid  the  suit  in  the  Quarter  Court,  into  which  it  would 
come  by  law,  and  gave  lawful  notice,  so  that  all  who 
stood  on  the  Hill  of  Laws  might  hear. 

But  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  Hrut  said — 
"Thou  hast  undertaken  this  suit,  which  belongs  to  thy 
daughter,  rather  for  the  greed  of  gain  and  love  of  strife 
than  in  kindliness  and  manliness.  But  I  shall  have  some- 
thing to  say  against  it,  for  the  goods  which  belong  to  me 
are  not  yet  in  thy  hands.  Now,  what  I  have  to  say  is 
this,  and  I  say  it  out,  so  that  all  who  hear  me  on  this  hill 

13 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

may  bear  witness ;  I  challenge  thee  to  fight  on  the  island ; 
there  on  one  side  shall  be  laid  all  thy  daughter's  dower, 
and  on  the  other  I  will  lay  down  goods  worth  as  much, 
and  whoever  wins  the  day  shall  have  both  dower  and 
goods ;  but  if  thou  wilt  not  fight  with  me,  then  thou  shalt 
give  up  all  claim  to  these  goods." 

Then  Mord  held  his  peace  and  took  counsel  with  his 
friends  about  going  to  fight  on  the  island,  and  Jorund 
the  priest  gave  him  an  answer. 

"There  is  no  need  for  thee  to  come  to  ask  us  for  coun- 
sel in  this  matter,  for  thou  knowest  if  thou  fightest  with 
Hrut  thou  wilt  lose  both  life  and  goods.  He  has  a  good 
cause,  and  is  besides  mighty  in  himself  and  one  of  the 
boldest  of  men." 

Then  Mord  spoke  out,  that  he  would  not  fight  with 
Hrut,  and  there  arose  a  great  shout  and  hooting  on  the 
hill,  and  Mord  got  the  greatest  shame  by  his  suit. 

After  that  men  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and  those 
brothers  Hauskuld  and  Hrut  ride  west  to  Reykiardale, 
and  turned  in  as  guests  at  Lund,  where  Thiostolf,  Biorn 
Gullbera's  son,  then  dwelt.  There  had  been  much  rain 
that  day,  and  men  got  wet,  so  long-fires  were  made  down 
the  length  of  the  hall.  Thiostolf,  the  master  of  the  house, 
sat  between  Hauskuld  and  Hrut,  and  two  boys,  of  whom 
Thiostolf  had  the  rearing,  were  playing  on  the  floor,  and 
a  girl  was  playing  with  them.  They  were  great  chatter- 
boxes, for  they  were  too  young  to  know  better.  So  one 
of  them  said — 

"Now,  I  will  be  Mord,  and  summon  thee  to  lose  thy 
wife  because  thou  hast  not  been  a  good  husband  to  her." 

14 


THORWALD   GETS  HALLGERDA    TO   WIFE 

Then  the  other  answered — 

"I  will  be  Hrut,  and  I  call  on  thee  to  give  up  all  claim 
to  thy  goods,  if  thou  darest  not  to  fight  with  me." 

This  they  said  several  times,  and  all  the  household 
burst  out  laughing.  Then  Hauskuld  got  wroth,  and 
struck  the  boy  who  called  himself  Mord  with  a  switch, 
and  the  blow  fell  on  his  face,  and  grazed  his  skin. 

"Get  out  with  thee,"  said  Hauskuld  to  the  boy,  "and 
make  no  game  of  us;"  but  Hrut  said,  "Come  hither  to 
me,"  and  the  boy  did  so.  Then  Hrut  drew  a  ring  from 
his  finger  and  gave  it  to  him,  and  said — 

"Go  away,  and  try  no  man's  temper  henceforth." 

Then  the  boy  went  away  saying — 

"Thy  manliness  I  will  bear  in  mind  all  my  life." 

From  this  matter  Hrut  got  great  praise,  and  after  that 
they  went  home;  and  that  was  the  end  of  Mord's  and 
Hrut's  quarrel. 

CHAPTER  VI. 
THORWALD  GETS  HALLGERDA  TO  WIFE. 

Now,  it  must  be  told  how  Hallgerda,  Hauskuld's 
daughter,  grows  up,  and  is  the  fairest  of  women  to  look 
on;  she  was  tall  of  stature,  too,  and  therefore  she  was 
called  "Longcoat."  She  was  fair-haired,  and  had  so 
much  of  it  that  she  could  hide  herself  in  it ;  but  she  was 
lavish  and  hard-hearted.  Her  foster-father's  name  was 
Thiostolf ;  he  was  a  Southislander1  by  stock;  he  was  a 
strong  man,  well  skilled  in  arms,  and  had  slain  many 
men,  and  made  no  atonement  in  money  for  one  of  them. 

JThat  Is,  he  came   from  what  w«>  call  the  Western  Isles  or  Hebrides. 
The  old  appellation  still  lingers  in  "Sodor  (i.  c.,  the  South  Isles)  and  Man." 


THORWALD  GETS  HALLGERDA   TO  WIFE 

It  was  said  too,  that  his  rearing  had  not  bettered  Hall- 
gerda's  temper. 

There  was  a  man  named  Thorwald;  he  was  Oswif's 
son,  and  dwelt  out  on  Middlefells  strand,  under  the  Fell. 
He  was  rich  and  well  to  do,  and  owned  the  islands  called 
Bear-isles,  which  lie  out  in  Broadfirth,  whence  he  got 
meal  and  stock  fish.  This  Thorwald  was  a  strong  and 
courteous  man,  though  somewhat  hasty  in  temper.  Now, 
it  fell  out  one  day  that  Thorwald  and  his  father  were 
talking  together  of  Thorwald's  marrying,  and  where  he 
had  best  look  for  a  wife,  and  it  soon  came  out  that  he 
thought  there  wasn't  a  match  fit  for  him  far  or  near. 

"Well,"  said  Oswif,  "wilt  thou  ask  for  Hallgerda 
Longcoat,  Hauskuld's  daughter?" 

"Yes !  I  will  ask  for  her,"  said  Thorwald. 

"But  that  is  not  a  match  that  will  suit  either  of  you," 
Oswif  went  on  to  say,  "for  she  has  a  will  of  her  own, 
and  thou  art  stern-tempered  and  unyielding." 

"For  all  that  I  will  try  my  luck  there,"  said  Thorwald, 
"so  it's  no  good  trying  to  hinder  me." 

"Ay !"  said  Oswif,  "and  the  risk  is  all  thine  own." 

After  that  they  set  off  on  a  wooing  journey  to  Haus- 
kuldstede,  and  had  a  hearty  welcome.  They  were  not 
long  in  telling  Hauskuld  their  business,  and  began  to 
woo;  then  Hauskuld  answered — 

"As  for  you,  I  know  how  you  both  stand  in  the  world, 
but  for  my  own  part  I  will  use  no  guile  towards  you.  My 
daughter  has  a  hard  temper,  but  as  to  her  looks  and  breed- 
ing you  can  both  see  for  yourselves." 

"Lay  down  the  terms  of  the  match,"  answered  Thor- 

16 


HALLGERDA'S  WEDDING 

wald,  "for  I  will  not  let  her  temper  stand  in  the  way  of 
our  bargain." 

Then  they  talked  over  the  terms  of  the  bargain,  and 
Hauskuld  never  asked  his  daughter  what  she  thought  of 
it,  for  his  heart  was  set  on  giving  her  away,  and  so  they 
came  to  an  understanding  as  to  the  terms  of  the  match. 
After  that  Thorwald  betrothed  himself  to  Hallgerda,  and 
rode  away  home  when  the  matter  was  settled,  and  the 
marriage  was  celebrated  with  a  great  feast  soon  after. 

CHAPTER  VII. 
HALLGERDA'S  WEDDING. 

HAUSKULD  told  Hallgerda  of  the  bargain  he  had  made, 
and  she  said — 

"Now  that  has  been  put  to  the  proof  which  I  have  all 
along  been  afraid  of,  that  thou  lovest  me  not  so  much  as 
thou  art  always  saying,  when  thou  hast  not  thought  it 
worth  while  to  tell  me  a  word  of  all  this  matter.  Be- 
sides, I  do  not  think  this  match  so  good  a  one  as  thou 
hast  always  promised  me." 

So  she  went  on,  and  let  them  know  in  every  way  that 
she  thought  she  was  thrown  away. 

Then  Hauskuld  said — 

"I  do  not  set  so  much  store  by  thy  pride  as  to  let  it 
stand  in  the  way  of  my  bargains ;  and  my  will,  not  thine, 
shall  carry  the  day  if  we  fall  out  on  any  point." 

"The  pride  of  all  you  kinsfolk  is  great,"  she  said,  "and 
so  it  is  not  wonderful  if  I  have  some  of  it." 

With  that  she  went  away,  and  found  her  foster-father 

17 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Thiostolf,  and  told  him  what  was  in  store  for  her,  and 
was  very  heavy-hearted.  Then  Thiostolf  said — 

"Be  of  good  cheer,  for  thou  wilt  be  married  a  second 
time,  and  then  they  will  ask  thee  what  thou  thinkest  of 
the  match ;  for  I  will  do  in  all  things  as  thou  wishest,  ex- 
cept in  what  touches  thy  father  or  Hrut." 

After  that  they  spoke  no  more  of  the  matter,  and 
Hauskuld  made  ready  the  bridal  feast,  and  rode  off  to 
ask  men  to  it.  So  he  came  to  Hrutstede  and  called  Hrut 
out  to  speak  with  him.  Hrut  went  out,  and  they  began 
to  talk,  and  Hauskuld  told  him  the  whole  story  of  the 
bargain,  and  bade  him  to  the  feast,  saying — 

"I  should  be  glad  to  know  that  thou  dost  not  feel  hurt 
though  I  did  not  tell  thee  when  the  bargain  was  being 
made." 

"I  should  be  better  pleased,"  said  Hrut,  "to  have  noth- 
ing at  all  to  do  with  it;  for  this  match  will  bring  luck 
neither  to  him  nor  to  her ;  but  still  I  will  come  to  the  feast 
if  thou  thinkest  it  will  add  any  honour  to  thee." 

"Of  course  I  think  so,"  said  Hauskuld,  and  rode  off 
home. 

Oswif  and  Thorwald  also  asked  men  to  come,  so  that 
no  fewer  than  one  hundred  guests  were  asked. 

There  was  a  man  named  Swan,  who  dwelt  in  Bearfirth, 
which  lies  north  from  Steingrimsfirth.  This  Swan  was 
a  great  wizard,  and  he  was  Hallgerda's  mother's  brother. 
He  was  quarrelsome,  and  hard  to  deal  with,  but  Hall- 
gerda  asked  him  to  the  feast,  and  sends  Thiostolf  to  him ; 
so  he  went,  and  it  soon  got  to  friendship  between  him 
and  Swan. 

:8 


THORW AID'S  SLAYING 

Now  men  come  to  the  feast,  and  Hallgerda  sat  upon 
the  cross-bench,  and  she  was  a  very  merry  bride.  Thios- 
tolf  was  always  talking1  to  her,  though  he  sometimes 
found  time  to  speak  to  Swan,  and  men  thought  their  talk- 
ing strange.  The  feast  went  off  well,  and  Hauskuld  paid 
down  Hallgerda's  portion  with  the  greatest  readiness. 
After  he  had  done  that,  he  said  to  Hrut — 

"Shall  I  bring  out  any  gifts  beside?" 

"The  day  will  come,"  answered  Hrut,  "when  thou  wilt 
have  to  waste  thy  goods  for  Hallgerda's  sake,  so  hold 
thy  hand  now." 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
THORWAU/S  SLAYING. 

THORWALD  rode  home  from  the  bridal  feast,  and  his 
wife  with  him,  and  Thiostolf,  who  rode  by  her  horse's 
side,  and  still  talked  to  her  in  a  low  voice.  Oswif  turned 
to  his  son  and  said — 

"Art  thou  pleased  with  thy  match!  and  how  went  it 
when  ye  talked  together?" 

"Well,"  said  he,  "she  showed  all  kindness  to  me.  Thou 
mightst  see  that  by  the  way  she  laughs  at  every  word  I 
say." 

"I  don't  think  her  laughter  so  hearty  as  thou  dost," 
answered  Oswif,  "but  this  will  be  put  to  the  proof  by 
and  by." 

So  they  ride  on  till  they  come  home,  and  at  night  she 
took  her  seat  by  her  husband's  side,  and  made  room  for 
Thiostolf  next  herself  on  the  inside.  Thiostolf  and  Thor- 
wald  had  little  to  do  with  each  other,  and  few  words  were 

19 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

thrown  away  between  them  that  winter,  and  so  time  went 
on.  Hallgerda  was  prodigal  and  grasping,  and  there  was 
nothing  that  any  of  their  neighbours  had  that  she  must 
not  have  too,  and  all  that  she  had,  no  matter  whether  it 
were  her  own  or  belonged  to  others,  she  wasted.  But 
when  the  spring  came  there  was  a  scarcity  in  the  house, 
both  of  meal  and  stock  fish,  so  Hallgerda  went  up  to 
Thorwald  and  said — 

"Thou  must  not  be  sitting  in-doors  any  longer,  for  we 
want  for  the  house  both  meal  and  fish." 

"Well,"  said  Thorwald,  "I  did  not  lay  in  less  for  the 
house  this  year  than  I  laid  in  before,  and  then  it  used  to 
last  till  summer." 

"What  care  I,"  said  Hallgerda,  "if  thou  and  thy  father 
have  made  your  money  by  starving  yourselves." 

Then  Thorwald  got  angry  and  gave  her  a  blow  on  the 
face  and  drew  blood,  and  went  away  and  called  his  men 
and  ran  the  skiff  down  to  the  shore.  Then  six  of  them 
jumped  into  her  and  rowed  out  to  the  Bear-isles,  and  be- 
gan to  load  her  with  meal  and  fish. 

Meantime  it  is  said  that  Hallgerda  sat  out  of  doors 
heavy  at  heart.  Thiostolf  went  up  to  her  and  saw  the 
wound  on  her  face,  and  said — 

"Who  has  been  playing  thee  this  sorry  trick?" 

"My  husband  Thorwald,"  she  said,  "and  thou  stoodst 
aloof,  though  thou  wouldst  not  if  thou  hadst  cared  at  all 
for  me." 

"Because  I  knew  nothing  about  it,"  said  Thiostolf, 
"but  I  will  avenge  it." 

Then  he  went  away  down  to  the  shore  and  ran  out  a 

20 


GLUM'S  WOOING 

six-oared  boat,  and  held  in  his  hand  a  great  axe  that  he 
had  with  a  haft  overlaid  with  iron.  He  steps  into  the 
boat  and  rows  out  to  the  Bear-isles,  and  when  he  got 
there  all  the  men  had  rowed  away  but  Thorwald  and  his 
followers,  and  he  stayed  by  the  skiff  to  load  her,  while 
they  brought  the  goods  down  to  him.  So  Thiostolf  came 
up  just  then  and  jumped  into  the  skiff,  and  began  to  load 
with  him,  and  after  a  while  he  said — 

"Thou  canst  do  but  little  at  this  work,  and  that  little 
thou  dost  badly." 

"Thinkest  thou  thou  canst  do  it  better?"  said  Thor- 
wald. 

"There's  one  thing  to  be  done  which  I  can  do  better 
than  thou,"  said  Thiostolf,  and  then  he  went  on — 

"The  woman  who  is  thy  wrife  has  made  a  bad  match, 
and  you  shall  not  live  much  longer  together." 

Then  Thorwald  snatched  up  a  fishing-knife  that  lay  by 
him,  and  made  a  stab  at  Thiostolf;  he  had  lifted  his  axe 
to  his  shoulder  and  dashed  it  down.  It  came  on  Thor- 
wald's  arm  and  crushed  the  wrist,  but  down  fell  the 
knife.  Then  Thiostolf  lifted  up  his  axe  a  second  time 
and  gave  Thorwald  a  blow  on  the  head,  and  he  fell  dead 
on  the  spot. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
GUJM'S  WOOING. 

Now  three  brothers  are  named  in  the  story.  One  was 
called  Thorarin,  the  second  Ragi,  and  the  third  Glum. 
They  were  the  sons  of  Olof  the  Halt,  and  were  men  of 
much  worth  and  of  great  wealth  in  goods.  Thorarin's 

21 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

surname  was  Ragi's  brother;  he  had  the  Speakership  of 
the  Law  after  Rafn  Heing's  son.  He  was  a  very  wise 
man,  and  lived  at  Varmalek,  and  he  and  Glum  kept  house 
together.  Glum  had  been  long  abroad;  he  was  a  tall, 
strong,  handsome  man.  Ragi  their  brother  was  a  great 
manslayer.  Those  brothers  owned  in  the  south  Engey 
and  Laugarness.  One  day  the  brothers  Thorarin  and 
Glum  were  talking  together,  and  Thorarin  asked  Glum 
whether  he  meant  to  go  abroad,  as  was  his  wont. 

He  answered — "I  was  rather  thinking  now  of  leaving 
off  trading  voyages." 

"What  hast  them  then  in  thy  mind?  Wilt  thou  woo 
thee  a  wife?" 

"That  I  will,"  says  he,  "if  I  could  only  get  myself  well 
matched." 

Then  Thorarin  told  off  all  the  women  who  were  un- 
wedded  in  Borgarfirth,  and  asked  him  if  he  would  have 
any  of  these — "Say  the  word,  and  I  will  ride  with  thee!" 

But  Glum  answered — "I  will  have  none  of  these." 

"Say  then  the  name  of  her  thou  wishest  to  have,"  says 
Thorarin. 

Glum  answered — "If  thou  must  know,  her  name  is 
Hallgerda,  and  she  is  Hauskuld's  daughter  away  west  in 
the  dales." 

"Well,"  says  Thorarin,  "  'tis  not  with  thee  as  the  saw 
says,  'be  warned  by  another's  woe;'  for  she  was  wedded 
to  a  man,  and  she  plotted  his  death." 

Glum  said — "May  be  such  ill-luck  will  not  befall  her 
a  second  time,  and  sure  I  am  she  will  not  plot  my  death. 
But  now,  if  thou  wilt  show  me  any  honour,  ride  along 
with  me  to  woo  her." 


GLUM'S  WOOING 

Thorarin  said — "There's  no  good  striving  against  it, 
for  what  must  be  is  sure  to  happen."  Glum  often  talked 
the  matter  over  with  Thorarin,  but  he  put  it  off  a  long 
time.  At  last  it  came  about  that  they  gathered  men  to- 
gether and  rode  off  ten  in  company,  west  to  the  dales, 
and  came  to  Hauskuldstede.  Hauskuld  gave  them  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  they  stayed  there  that  night.  But 
early  next  morning,  Hauskuld  sends  Hrut,  and  he  came 
thither  at  once ;  and  Hauskuld  was  out  of  doors  when  he 
rode  into  the  "town."  Then  Hauskuld  told  Hrut  what 
men  had  come  thither. 

"What  may  it  be  they  want?"  asked  Hrut. 

"As  yet,"  says  Hauskuld,  "they  have  not  let  out  to  me 
that  they  have  any  business." 

"Still,"  says  Hrut,  "their  business  must  be  with  thee. 
They  will  ask  the  hand  of  thy  daughter,  Hallgerda.  If 
they  do,  what  answer  wilt  thou  make?" 

"What  dost  thou  advise  me  to  say?"  says  Hauskuld. 

"Thou  shalt  answer  well,"  says  Hrut;  "but  still  make 
a  clean  breast  of  all  the  good  and  all  the  ill  thou  knowest 
of  the  woman." 

But  while  the  brothers  were  talking  thus,  out  came 
the  guests.  Hauskuld  greeted  them  well,  and  Hrut  bade 
4  both  Thorarin  and  his  brothers  good  morning.  After 
that  they  all  began  to  talk,  and  Thorarin  said — 

"I  am  come  hither,  Hauskuld,  with  my  brother  Glum 
on  this  errand,  to  ask  for  Hallgerda  thy  daughter,  at  the 
hand  of  my  brother  Glum.  Thou  must  know  that  he  is 
a  man  of  worth." 

"I  know  well,"  says  Hauskuld,  "that  ye  are  both  of 

23 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

you  powerful  and  worthy  men ;  but  I  must  tell  you  right 
out,  that  I  chose  a  husband  for  her  before,  and  that  turned 
out  most  unluckily  for  us." 

Thorarin  answered — "We  will  not  let  that  stand  in  the 
way  of  the  bargain;  for  one  oath  shall  not  become  all 
oaths,  and  this  may  prove  to  be  a  good  match,  though 
that  turned  out  ill ;  besides  Thiostolf  had  most  hand  in 
spoiling  it." 

Then  Hrut  spoke :  "Now  I  will  give  you  a  bit  of  ad- 
vice— this :  if  ye  will  not  let  all  this  that  has  already  hap- 
pened to  Hallgerda  stand  in  the  way  of  the  match,  mind 
you  do  not  let  Thiostolf  go  south  with  her  if  the  match 
comes  off,  and  that  he  is  never  there  longer  than  three 
nights  at  a  time,  unless  Glum  gives  him  leave,  but  fall  an 
outlaw  by  Glum's  hand  without  atonement  if  he  stay 
there  longer.  Of  course,  it  shall  be  in  Glum's  power  to 
give  him  leave;  but  he  will  not  if  he  takes  my  advice. 
And  now  this  match  shall  not  be  fulfilled  as  the  other  was, 
without  Hallgerda's  knowledge.  She  shall  now  know 
the  whole  course  of  this  bargain,  and  see  Glum,  and  her- 
self settle  whether  she  will  have  him  or  not;  and  then 
she  will  not  be  able  to  lay  the  blame  on  others  if  it  does 
not  turn  out  well.  And  all  this  shall  be  without  craft  or 
guile." 

Then  Thorarin  said — "Now,  as  always,  it  will  prove 
best  if  thy  advice  be  taken." 

Then  they  sent  for  Hallgerda,  and  she  came  thither, 
and  two  women  with  her.  She  had  on  a  cloak  of  rich 
blue  woof,  and  under  it  a  scarlet  kirtle,  and  a  silver  gir- 
dle round  her  waist,  but  her  hair  came  down  on  both 

24 


GLUM'S  WOOING 

sides  of  her  bosom,  and  she  had  turned  the  locks  up  un- 
der her  girdle.  She  sat  down  between  Hrut  and  her 
father,  and  she  greeted  them  all  with  kind  words,  and 
spoke  well  and  boldly,  and  asked  what  was  the  news. 
After  that  she  ceased  speaking.- 

Then  Glum  said — "There  has  been  some  talk  between 
thy  father  and  my  brother  Thorarin  and  myself  about  a 
bargain.  It  was  that  I  might  get  thee,  Hallgerda,  if  it 
by  thy  will,  as  it  is  theirs;  and  now,  if  thou  art  a  brave 
woman,  thou  wilt  say  right  out  whether  the  match  is  at 
all  to  thy  mind;  but  if  thou  hast  anything  in  thy  heart 
against  this  bargain  with  us,  then  we  will  not  say  any- 
thing more  about  it." 

Hallgerda  said — "I  know  well  that  you  are  men  of 
worth  and  might,  ye  brothers.  I  know  too  that  now  I 
shall  be  much  better  wedded  than  I  was  before ;  but  what 
I  want  to  know  is,  what  you  have  said  already  about  the 
match,  and  how  far  you  have  given  your  words  in  the 
matter.  But  so  far  as  I  now  see  of  thee,  I  think  I  might 
love  thee  well  if  we  can  but  hit  it  off  as  to  temper." 

So  Glum  himself  told  her  all  about  the  bargain,  and 
left  nothing  out,  and  then  he  asked  Hauskuld  and  Hrut 
whether  he  had  repeated  it  right.  Hauskuld  said  he  had ; 
and  then  Hallgerda  said — "Ye  have  dealt  so  well  with  me 
in  this  matter,  my  father  and  Hrut,  that  I  will  do  what 
ye  advise,  and  this  bargain  shall  be  struck  as  ye  have 
settled  it." 

Then  Hrut  said — "Methinks  it  were  best  that  Haus- 
kuld and  I  should  name  witnesses,  and  that  Hallgerda 
should  betroth  herself,  if  the  Lawman  thinks  that  right 
and  lawful."  2- 

5 


THE  STORY  OF  BURMT  NJAL 

"Right  and  lawful  it  is,"  says  Thorarin. 

After  that  Hallgerda's  goods  were  valued,  and  Glum 
was  to  lay  down  as  much  against  them,  and  they  were  to 
go  shares,  half  and  half,  in  the  whole.  Then  Glum 
bound  himself  to  Hallgerda  as  his  betrothed,  and  they 
rode  away  home  south;  but  Hauskuld  was  to  keep  the 
wedding-feast  at  his  house.  And  now  all  is  quiet  till  men 
ride  to  the  wedding. 

CHAPTER  X. 

GLUMES  SLAYING. 

Now  Glum  called  men  to  follow  him,  and  Thiostolf 
got  ready  and  went  with  them.  So  they  went  up  South 
Reykiardale  and  then  up  along  by  Baugagil  and  so>  south 
to  Crossfell.  But  some  of  his  band  he  sent  to  the  Sula- 
fells,  and  they  all  found  very  many  sheep.  Some  of  them 
too,  went  by  way  of  Scoradale,  and  it  came  about  at  last 
that  those  twain,  Glum  and  Thiostolf,  were  left  alone  to- 
gether. They  went  south  from  Crossfell  and  found  there 
a  flock  of  wild  sheep,  and  they  went  from  the  south  to- 
wards the  fell,  and  tried  to  drive  them  down;  but  still 
the  sheep  got  away  from  them  up  on  the  fell.  Then 
each  began  to  scold  the  other,  and  Thiostolf  said  at  last 
that  Glum  had  no  strength  save  to  tumble  about  in  Hall- 
gerda's  arms. 

Then  Glum  said — 

"A  man's  foes  are  those  of  his  own  house.  Shall  I 
take  upbraiding  from  thee,  runaway  thrall  as  thou  art?" 

Thiostolf  said — 

26 


CLUM'S  SLAYING 

"Thou  shalt  soon  have  to  own  that  I  am  no  thrall,  for 
I  will  not  yield  an  inch  to  thee." 

Then  Glum  got  angry,  and  cut  at  him  with  his  hand- 
axe,  but  he  threw  his  axe  in  the  way,  and  the  blow  fell 
on  the  haft  with  a  downward  stroke  and  bit  into  it  about 
the  breadth  of  two  fingers.  Thiostolf  cut  at  him  at  once 
with  his  axe,  and  smote  him  on  the  shoulder,  and  the. 
stroke  hewed  asunder  the  shoulderbone  and  collarbone, 
and  the  wound  bled  inwards.  Glum  grasped  at  Thio- 
stolf with  his  left  hand  so  fast  that  he  fell;  but  Glum 
could  not  hold  him,  for  death  came  over  him.  Then 
Thiostolf  covered  his  body  with  stones,  and  took  off  his 
gold  ring.  Then  he  went  straight  to  Varmalek.  Hall- 
gerda  was  sitting  out  of  doors,  and  saw  that  his  axe  was 
bloody.  He  said — 

"I  know  not  what  thou  wilt  think  of  it,  but  I  tell  thee 
Glum  is  slain." 

"That  must  be  thy  deed  ?"  she  says. 

"So  it  is,"  he  says. 

She  laughed  and  said — 

"Thou  dost  not  stand  for  nothing  in  this  sport." 

"What  thinkest  thou  is  best  to  be  done  now?"  he 
asked. 

"Go  to  Hrut,  my  father's  brother,"  she  said,  "and  let 
him  see  about  thee." 

"I  do  not  know,"  says  Thiostolf,  "whether  this  is  good 
advice;  but  still  I  will  take  thy  counsel  in  this  matter." 

So  he  took  his  horse,  and  rode  west  to  Hrutstede  that 
night.  He  binds  his  horse  at  the  back  of  the  house,  and 
then  goes  round  to  the  door,  and  gives  a  great  knock. 

27 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

After  that  he  walks  round  the  house,  north  about.  It 
happened  that  Hrut  was  awake.  He  sprang  up  at  once, 
and  put  on  his  jerkin  and  pulled  on  his  shoes.  Then  he 
took  up  his  sword,  and  wrapped  a  cloak  about  his  left 
arm,  up  as  far  as  the  elbow.  Men  woke  up  just  as  he 
went  out;  there  he  saw  a  tall  stout  man  at  the  back  of 
the  house,  and  knew  it  was  Thiostolf.  Hrut  asked  him 
what  news. 

"I  tell  thee  Glum  is  slain,"  says  Thiostolf. 

"Who  did  the  deed  ?"  says  Hrut. 

"I  slew  him,"  says  Thiostolf. 

"Why  rodest  thou  hither?"  says  Hrut. 

"Hallgerda  sent  me  to  thee,"  says  Thiostolf. 

"Then  she  has  no  hand  in  this  deed,"  says  Hrut,  and 
drew  his  sword.  Thiostolf  saw  that,  and  would  not  be 
behind  hand,  so  he  cuts  at  Hrut  at  once.  Hrut  got  out 
of  the  way  of  the  stroke  by  a  quick  turn,  and  at  the  same 
time  struck  the  back  of  the  axe  so  smartly  with  a  side- 
long blow  of  his  left  hand,  that  it  flew  out  of  Thiostolf's 
grasp.  Then  Hrut  made  a  blow  with  the  sword  in  his 
right  hand  at  Thiostolf's  leg,  just  above  the  knee,  and 
cut  it  almost  off  so  that  it  hung  by  a  little  piece,  and 
sprang  in  upon  him  at  the  same  time,  and  thrust  him 
hard  back.  After  that  he  smote  him  on  the  head,  and 
dealt  him  his  death-blow.  Thiostolf  fell  down  on  his 
back  at  full  length,  and  then  out  came  Hrut's  men,  and 
saw  the  tokens  of  the  deed.  Hrut  made  them  take  Thio- 
stolf away,  and  throw  stones  over  his  body,  and  then 
he  went  to  find  Hauskuld,  and  told  him  of  Glum's  slay- 
ing, and  also  of  Thiostolf's.  He  thought  it  harm  that 


GUNNAR  COMES  INTO  THE  STORY 

Glum  was  dead  and  gone,  but  thanked  him.  for  killing 
Thiostolf.  A  little  while  after,  Thorarin  Ragi's  brother 
hears  of  his  brother  Glum's  death,  then  he  rides  with 
eleven  men  behind  him  west  to  Hauskuldstede,  and  Haus- 
kuld  welcomed  him  with  both  hands,  and  he  is  there  the 
night.  Hauskuld  sent  at  once  for  Hrut  to  come  to  him, 
and  he  went  at  once,  and  next  day  they  spoke  much  of  the 
slaying  of  Glum,  and  Thorarin  said — "Wilt  thou  make 
me  any  atonement  for  my  brother,  for  I  have  had  a  great 
loss?" 

Hauskuld  answered — "I  did  not  slay  thy  brother,  nor 
did  my  daughter  plot  his  death ;  but  as  soon  as  ever  Hrut 
knew  it  he  slew  Thiostolf." 

Then  Thorarin  held  his  peace,  and  thought  the  matter 
had  taken  a  bad  turn.  But  Hrut  said — "Let  us  make  his 
journey  good ;  he  has  indeed  had  a  heavy  loss,  and  if  we 
do  that  we  shall  be  well  spoken  of.  So  let  us  give  him 
gifts,  and  then  he  will  be  our  friend  ever  afterwards." 

So  the  end  of  it  was  that  those  brothers  gave  him 
gifts,  and  he  rode  back  south.  He  and  Hallgerda  chang- 
ed homesteads  in  the  spring,  and  she  went  south  to  Lau- 
garness  and  he  to  Varmalek.  And  now  Thorarin  is  out 
of  the  story. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

GUNNAR  COM^S  INTO  THE  STORY. 

THERE  was  a  man  whose  name  was  Gunnar.  He  was 
one  of  Unna's  kinsmen,  and  his  mother's  name  was  Rann- 
veig.  Gunnar's  father  was  named  Hamond.  Gunnar 
Hamond's  son  dwelt  at  Lithend,  in  the  Fleetlithe.  He 

29 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

was  a  tall  man  in  growth,  and  a  strong  man — best  skilled 
in  arms  of  all  men.  He  could  cut  or  thrust  or  shoot  if 
he  chose  as  well  with  his  left  as  with  his  right  hand,  and 
he  smote  so  swiftly  with  his  sword,  that  three  seemed  to 
flash  through  the  air  at  once.  He  was  the  best  shot  with 
the  bow  of  all  men,  and  never  missed  his  mark.  He 
could  leap  more  than  his  own  height,  with  all  his  war- 
gear,  and  as  far  backwards  as  forwards.  He  could  swim 
like  a  seal,  and  there  was  no  game  in  which  it  was  any 
good  for  anyone  to  strive  with  him;  and  so  it  has  been 
said  that  no  man  was  his  match.  He  was  handsome  of 
feature,  and  fair  skinned.  His  nose  was  straight,  and  a 
little  turned  up  at  the  end.  He  was  blue-eyed  and  bright- 
eyed,  and  ruddy-cheeked.  His  hair  thick,  and  of  good 
hue,  and  hanging  down  in  comely  curls.  The  most  cour- 
teous of  men  was  he,  of  sturdy  frame  and  strong  will, 
bountiful  and  gentle,  a  fast  friend,  but  hard  to  please 
when  making  them.  He  was  wealthy  in  goods.  His 
brother's  name  was  Kolskegg;  he  was  a  tall  strong  man, 
a  noble  fellow,  and  undaunted  in  everything.  Another 
brother's  name  was  Hjort;  he  was  then  in  his  childhood. 
Orm  Skogarnef  was  a  base-born  brother  of  Gunnar's ;  he 
does  not  come  into  this  story.  Arnguda  was  the  name  of 
Gunnar's  sister.  Hroar,  the  priest  at  Tongue,  had  her 
to  wife. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

OF  NJAL  AND  HIS  CHILDREN. 

THERE  was  a  man  whose  name  was  Njal.     He  was 
the  son  of  Thorgeir  Gelling,  the  son  of  Thorolf.     Njal's 

30 


HELGI  NJAL'S  SON'S  WOOING 

mother's  name  was  Asgerda.  Njal  dwelt  at  Bergthors- 
knoll,  in  the  land-isles;  he  had  another  homestead  on 
Thorolfsfell.  Njal  was  wealthy  in  goods,  and  handsome 
of  face;  no  beard  grew  on  his  chin.  He  was  so  great  a 
lawyer,  that  his  match  was  not  to  be  found.  Wise  too 
he  was,  and  foreknowing  and  foresighted.1  Of  good 
counsel,  and  ready  to  give  it,  and  all  that  he  advised  men 
was  sure  to  be  the  best  for  them  to  do.  Gentle  and  gen- 
erous, he  unravelled  every  man's  knotty  points  who  came 
to  see  him  about  them.  Bergthora  was  his  wife's  name ; 
she  was  Skarphedinn's  daughter,  a  very  high-spirited, 
brave-hearted  woman,  but  somewhat  hard-tempered. 
They  had  six  children,  three  daughters  and  three  sons, 
and  they  all  come  afterwards  into  this  story. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

HELGI   NJAI/S  SON'S  WOOING. 

A  LITTLE  after  they  rode  out  across  Thurso  water,  and 
fared  till  they  came  into  Tongue.  Asgrim  was  at  home, 
and  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome;  and  they  were  th~re 
that  night.  Next  morning  they  began  to  talk,  and  then 
Njal  raised  the  question  of  the  wooing,  and  asked  for 
Thorhalla  for  his  son  Helgi's  hand.  Asgrim  answered 
that  well,  and  said  there  were  no  men  with  whom  he 
would  be  more  willing  to  make  this  bargain  than  with 
them.  They  fell  a-talking  then  about  terms,  and  the  end 
of  it  was  that  Asgrim  betrothed  his  daughter  to  Helgi, 
and  the  bridal  day  was  named.  Gunnar  was  at  that  feast, 

1Thls  means  that  Njal  was  one  of  those  gifted  beings  who,  according  to 
the  firm  belief  of  that  age,  had  a  more  than  human  insight  into  things  about 
to  happen.  It  answers  very  nearly  to  the  Scottish  "second  sight." 

31 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

and  many  other  of  the  best  men.  After  the  feast  Njal 
offered  to  foster  in  his  house  Thorhall,  Asgrim's  son, 
and  he  was  with  Njal  long  after.  He  loved  Njal  more 
than  his  own  father.  Njal  taught  him  law,  so  that  he 
became  the  greatest  lawyer  in  Iceland  in  those  days. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

GUNNAR  GOES  ABROAD. 

So  Gunnar  fared  abroad,  and  Kolskegg  with  him. 
They  sailed  first  to  Tonsberg,  and  were  there  that  win- 
ter. There  had  then  been  a  shift  of  rulers  in  Norway. 
Harold  Grayfell  was  then  dead,  and  so  was  Gunnhillda. 
Earl  Hacon  the  Bad,  Sigurd's  son,  Hacon's  son,  Grit- 
garth's  son,  then  ruled  the  realm.  The  mother  of  Hacon 
was  Bergliot,  the  daughter  of  Earl  Thorir.  Her  mother 
was  Olof  harvest-heal.  She  was  Harold  Fair-hair's 
daughter. 

Hallvard  asks  Gunnar  if  he  would  make  up  his  mind 
to  go  to  Earl  Hacon  ? 

"No;  I  will  not  do  that,"  says  Gunnar.     "Hast  thou 
ever  a  long-ship." 
,    "I  have  two,"  he  says. 

"Then  I  would  that  we  two  went  on  warfare ;  and  let 
us  get  men  to  go  with  us." 

"I  will  do  that,"  says  Hallvard. 

After  that  they  went  to  the  Bay,  and  took  with  them 
two  ships,  and  fitted  them  out  thence.  They  had  good 
choice  of  men,  for  much  praise  was  said  of  Gunnar. 

"Whither  wilt  thou  first  fare?"  says  Gunnar. 

32 


GUNNAR  GOES  ABROAD 

"I  wish  to  go  south-east  to  Hisingen,  to  see  my  kins- 
man Oliver,"  says  Hallvard. 

"What  dost  thou  want  of  him  ?"  says  Gunnar. 

He  answered — "He  is  a  fine  brave  fellow,  and  he  will 
be  sure  to  get  us  some  more  strength  for  our  voyage." 

"Then  let  us  go  thither,"  says  Gunnar. 

So,  as  soon  as  they  were  "boun,"  they  held  on  east  to 
Hisingen,  and  had  there  a  hearty  welcome.  Gunnar  had 
only  been  there  a  short  time  ere  Oliver  made  much  of 
him.  Oliver  asks  about  his  voyage,  and  Hallvard  says 
that  Gunnar  wishes  to  go  a-warfaring  to  gather  goods 
for  himself. 

"There's  no  use  thinking  of  that,"  says  Oliver,  "when 
ye  have  no  force." 

"Well,"  says  Hallvard,  "then  you  may  add  to  it" 

"So  I  do  mean  to  strengthen  Gunnar  somewhat,"  says 
Oliver;  "and  though  thou  reckonest  thyself  my  kith  and 
kin,  I  think  there  is  more  good  in  him." 
,  "What  force,  now,  wilt  thou  add  to  ours?"  he  asks. 

"Two  long-ships,  one  with  twenty,  and  the  other  with 
thirty  seats  for  rowers." 

"Who  shall  man  them?"  asks  Hallvard. 

"I  will  man  one  of  them  with  my  own  house-carles,  and 
the  freemen  around  shall  man  the  other.  But  still  I 
have  found  out  that  strife  has  come  into  the  river,  and 
I  know  not  whether  ye  two  will  be  able  to  get  away ;  for 
they  are  in  the  river." 

"Who?"  says  Hallvard. 

"Brothers  twain,"  says  Oliver;  "one's  name  is  Vandil, 
and  the  other's  Karli,  sons  of  Sjolf  the  Old,  east  away 
out  of  Gothland." 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Hallvard  told  Gunnar  that  Oliver  had  added  some 
ships  to  theirs,  and  Gunnar  was  glad  at  that.  They  busk- 
ed them  for  their  voyage  thence,  till  they  were  "all- 
boun."  Then  Gunnar  and  Hallvard  went  before  Oliver, 
and  thanked  him;  he  bade  them  fare  warily  for  the  sake 
of  those  brothers. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

GUNNAR  GOES  A-SEA-ROVING. 

So  Gunnar  held  on  out  of  the  river,  and  he  and  Kols- 
kegg  were  both  on  board  one  ship.  But  Hallvard  was 
on  board  another.  Now,  they  see  the  ships  before  them, 
and  then  Gunnar  spoke,  and  said — 

"Let  us  be  ready  for  anything  if  they  turn  towards 
us!  but  else  let  us  have  nothing  to  do  with  them." 

So  they  did  that,  and  made  all  ready  on  board  their 
ships.  The  others  parted  their  ships  asunder,  and  made 
a  fareway  between  the  ships.  Gunnar  fared  straight  on 
between  the  ships,  but  Vandil  caught  up  a  grappling-iron, 
and  cast  it  between  their  ships  and  Gunnar's  ship,  and 
began  at  once  to  drag  it  towards  him. 

Oliver  had  given  Gunnar  a  good  sword;  Gunnar  now 
drew  it,  and  had  not  yet  put  on  his  helm.  He  leapt  at 
once  on  the  forecastle  of  Vandil's  ship,  and  gave  one  man 
his  death-blow.  Karli  ran  his  ship  alongside  the  other 
side  of  Gunnar's  ship,  and  hurled  a  spear  athwart  the 
deck,  and  aimed  at  him  about  the  waist.  Gunnar  sees 
this,  and  turned  him  about  so  quickly,  that  no  eye  could 
follow  him,  and  caught  the  spear  with  his  left  hand,  and 
hurled  it  back  at  Karli's  ship,  and  that  man  got  his  death 

34 


GUNNAR  GOES  A-SEA-ROV1NG 

who  stood  before  it.  Kolskegg  snatched  up  a  grapnel 
and  casts  it  at  Karli's  ship,  and  the  fluke  fell  inside  the 
hold,  and  went  out  through  one  of  the  planks,  and  in 
rushed  the  coal-blue  sea,  and  all  the  men  sprang  on  board 
other  ships. 

Now  Gunnar  leapt  back  to  his  own  ship,  and  then  Hall- 
vard  came  up,  and  now  a  great  battle  arose.  They  saw 
now  that  their  leader  was  unflinching,  and  every  man 
did  as  well  as  he  could.  Sometimes  Gunnar  smote  with 
the  sword,  and  sometimes  he  hurled  the  spear,  and  many 
a  man  had  his  bane  at  his  hand.  Kolskegg  backed  him 
well.  As  for  Karli,  he  hastened  in  a  ship  to  his  brother 
Vandil,  and  thence  they  fought  that  day.  During  the  day 
Kolskegg  took  a  rest  on  Gunnar's  ship,  and  Gunnar  sees 
that 

After  that  Kolskegg  took  a  beaker  full  of  mead,  and 
drank  it  off,  and  went  on  fighting  afterwards ;  and  so  it 
came  about  that  those  brothers  sprang  up  on  the  ship 
of  Vandil  and  his  brother,  and  Kolskegg  went  on  one 
side,  and  Gunnar  on  the  other.  Against  Gunnar  came 
Vandil,  and  smote  at  once  at  him  with  his  sword,  and  the 
blow  fell  on  his  shield.  Gunnar  gave  the  shield  a  twist 
as  the  sword  pierced  it,  and  broke  it  short  off  at  the  hilt. 
Then  Gunnar  smote  back  at  Vandil,  and  three  swords 
seemed  to  be  aloft,  and  Vandil  could  not  see  how  to  shun 
the  blow.  Then  Gunnar  cut  both  his  legs  from  under 
him,  and  at  the  same  time  Kolskegg  ran  Karli  through 
with  a  spear.  After  that  they  took  great  war  spoil. 

Thence  they  held  on  south  to  Denmark,  and  thence  east 
to  Smoland,  and  had  victory  wherever  they  went.  They 

35 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

did  not  come  back  in  autumn.  The  next  summer  they 
held  on  to  Reval,  and  fell  in  there  with  sea-rovers,  and 
fought  at  once,  and  won  the  fight.  After  that  they  steer- 
ed east  to  Osel,  and  lay  there  somewhile  under  a  ness. 
There  they  saw  a  man  coming  down  from  the  ness  above 
them ;  Gunnar  went  on  shore  to  meet  the  man,  and  they 
had  a  talk.  Gunnar  asked  him  his  name,  and  he  said  it 
was  T'ofi.  Gunnar  asked  again  what  he  wanted. 

"Thee  I  want  to  see,"  says  the  man.  "Two  warships 
lie  on  the  other  side  under  the  ness,  and  I  will  tell  thee 
who  command  them;  two  brothers  are  the  captains — 
one's  name  is  Hallgrim,  and  the  other's  Kolskegg.  I 
know  them  to  be  mighty  men  of  war;  and  I  know  too 
that  they  have  such  good  weapons  that  the  like  are  not 
to  be  had.  Hallgrim  has  a  bill  which  he  had  made  by 
seething-spells;  and  this  is  what  the  spells  say,  that  no 
weapon  shall  give  him  his  death-blow  save  that  bill. 
That  thing  follows  it  too  that  it  is  known  at  once  when  a 
man  is  to  be  slain  with  that  bill,  for  something  sings 
in  it  so  loudly  that  it  may  be  heard  a  long  way  off — such 
a  strong  nature  has  that  bill  in  it." 

"Kolskegg  has  a  short  sword ;  that  is  also  the  best  of 
weapons.  Force,  too,  they  have — a  third  more  than  ye. 
They  have  also  much  goods,  and  have  stowed  them  away 
on  land,  and  I  know  clearly  where  they  are.  But  they 
have  sent  a  spy-ship  off  the  ness,  and  they  know  all  about 
you.  Now  they  are  getting  themselves  ready  as  fast  as 
they  can;  and  as  soon  as  they  are  'boun'  they  mean  to 
run  out  against  you.  Now  you  have  either  to  row  away 
at  once,  or  to  busk  yourselves  as  quickly  as  ye  can;  but 

36 


GUNNAR  GOES  A-SEA-ROVING 

if  ye  win  the  day,  then  I  will  lead  you  to  all  their  store 
of  goods." 

Gunnar  gave  him  a  golden  finger-ring,  and  went  after- 
wards to  his  men  and  told  them  that  war-ships  lay  on 
the  other  side  of  the  ness,  "and  they  know  all  about  us; 
so  let  us  take  to  our  arms,  and  busk  us  well,  for  now  there 
is  gain  to  be  got." 

Then  they  busked  them;  and  just  when  they  were  boun 
they  see  ships  coming  up  to  them.  And  now  a  fight 
sprung  up  between  them,  and  they  fought  long,  and  many 
men  fell.  Gunnar  slew  many  a  man.  Hallgrim  and  his 
men  leapt  on  board  Gunnar's  ship.  Gunnar  turns  to  meet 
him,  and  Hallgrim  thrust  at  him  with  his  bill.  There 
was  a  boom  athwart  the  ship,  and  Gunnar  leapt  nimbly 
back  over  it.  Gunnar's  shield  was  just  before  the  boom, 
and  Hallgrim  thrust  his  bill  into  it,  and  through  it,  and 
so  on  into  the  boom.  Gunnar  cut  at  Hallgrim's  arm 
hard,  and  lamed  the  forearm,  but  the  sword  would  not 
bite.  Then  down  fell  the  bill,  and  Gunnar  seized  the  bill, 
and  thrust  Hallgrim  through. 

Those  namesakes  (the  two  Kolskeggs)  fought  to- 
gether, and  it  was  a  near  thing  which  would  get  the  bet- 
ter of  it.  Then  Gunnar  came  up,  and  gave  the  other 
Kolskegg  his  death-blow.  After  that  the  sea-rovers  beg- 
ged for  mercy.  Gunnar  let  them  have  that  choice,  and 
he  let  them  also  count  the  slain,  and  take  the  goods  which 
the  dead  men  owned,  but  he  gave  the  others  whom  he 
spared  their  arms  and  their  clothing,  and  bade  them  be 
off  to  the  lands  that  fostered  them.  So  they  went  off,  and 
Gunnar  took  all  the  goods  that  were  left  behind. 

37 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Tofi  came  to  Gunnar  after  the  battle,  and  offered  to 
lead  him  to  that  store  of  goods  which  the  sea-rovers  had 
stowed  away,  and  said  that  it  was  both  better  and  larger 
than  that  which  they  had  already  got. 

Gunnar  said  he  was  willing  to  go,  and  so  he  went 
ashore,  and  Tofi  before  him,  to  a  wood,  and  Gunnar 
behind  him.  They  came  to  a  place  where  a  great  heap 
of  wood  was  piled  together.  Tofi  says  the  goods  were 
under  there,  then  they  tossed  off  the  wood,  and  found 
under  it  both  gold  and  silver,  clothes  and  good  weapons. 
They  bore  those  goods  to  the  ships,  and  Gunnar  asks 
Tofi  in  what  way  he  wished  him  to  repay  him. 

Tofi  answered,  "I  am  a  Dansk  man  by  race,  and  I  wish 
thou  wouldst  bring  me  to  my  kinsfolk." 

Gunnar  asks  why  he  was  there  away  east? 

"I  was  taken  by  sea-rovers,"  says  Tofi,  "and  they  put 
me  on  land  here  in  Osel,  and  here  I  have  been  ever  since." 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  VISIT   TO   BERGTHORSKNOIvIv. 

Now  it  was  the  custom  between  Gunnar  and  Njal,  that 
each  made  the  other  a  feast,  winter  and  winter  about,  for 
friendship's  sake ;  and  it  was  Gunnar's  turn  to  go  to  feast 
at  Njal's.  So  Gunnar  and  Hallgerda  set  off  for  Berg- 
thorsknoll,  and  when  they  got  there  Helgi  and  his  wife 
were  not  at  home.  Njal  gave  Gunnar  and  his  wife  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  when  they  had  been  there  a  little 
while,  Helgi  came  home  with  Thorhalla  his  wife.  Then 
Bergthora  went  up  to  the  cross-bench,  and  Thorhalla  with 
her,  and  Bergthora  said  to  Hallgerda — 

38 


THE   VISIT   TO  BERGSTHORSKNOLL 

"Thou  shalt  give  place  to  this  woman." 

She  answered — "To  no  one  will  I  give  place,  for  I 
will  not  be  driven  into  the  corner  for  any  one." 

"I  shall  rule  here,"  said  Bergthora.  After  that  Thor- 
halla  sat  down,  and  Bergthora  went  round  the  table  with 
water  to  wash  the  guests'  hands.  Then  Hallgerda  took 
hold  of  Bergthora's  hand,  and  said — 

"There's  not  much  to  choose,  though,  between  you 
two.  Thou  hast  hangnails  on  every  finger,  and  Njal  is 
beardless." 

"That's  true,"  says  Bergthora,  "yet  neither  of  us  finds 
fault  with  the  other  for  it;  but  Thorwald,  thy  husband, 
was  not  beardless,  and  yet  thou  plottedst  his  death." 

Then  Hallgerda  said — "It  stands  me  in  little  stead  to 
have  the  bravest  man  in  Iceland  if  thou  dost  not  avenge 
this,  Gunnar!" 

He  sprang  up  and  strode  across  away  from  the  board, 
and  said — "Home  I  will  go,  and  it  were  more  seemly  that 
thou  shouldst  wrangle  with  those  of  thine  own  household, 
and  not  under  other  men's  roofs;  but  as  for  Njal,  I  am 
his  debtor  for  much  honour,  and  never  will  I  be  egged  on 
by  thee  like  a  fool." 

After  that  they  set  off  home. 

"Mind  this,  Bergthora,"  said  Hallgerda,  "that  we  shall 
meet  again." 

Bergthora  said  she  should  not  be  better  off  for  that. 
Gunnar  said  nothing  at  all,  but  went  home  to  Lithend, 
and  was  there  at  home  all  the  winter.  And  now  the 
summer  was  running  on  towards  the  Great  Thing. 


39 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 
CHAPTER  XVII. 

KOI,  SLEW  SWART. 

GUNNAR  rode  away  to  the  Thing,  but  before  he  rode 
from  home  he  said  to  Hallgerda — "Be  good  now  while 
I  am  away,  and  show  none  of  thine  ill  temper  in  any- 
thing with  which  my  friends  have  to  do." 

"The  trolls  take  thy  friends,"  says  Hallgerda. 

So  Gunnar  rode  to  the  Thing,  and  saw  it  was  not  good 
to  come  to  words  with  her.  Njal  rode  to  the  Thing,  too, 
and  all  his  sons  with  him. 

Now  it  must  be  told  of  what  tidings  happened  at  home. 
Njal  and  Gunnar  owned  a  wood  in  common  at  Redslip; 
they  had  not  shared  the  wood,  but  each  was  wont  to  hew 
in  it  as  he  needed,  and  neither  said  a  word  to  the  other 
about  that.  Hallgerda's  grieve' s1  name  was  Kol ;  he  had 
been  with  her  long,  and  was  one  of  the  worst  of  men. 
There  was  a  man  named  Swart ;  he  was  Njal's  and  Berg- 
thora's  house-carle;  they  were  very  fond  of  him.  Now 
Bergthora  told  him  that  he  must  go  up  into  Redslip  and 
hew  wood ;  but  she  said — "I  will  get  men  to  draw  home 
the  wood." 

He  said  he  would  do  the  work  she  set  him  to  win ;  and 
so  he  went  up  into  Redslip,  and  was  to  be  there  a  week. 

Some  gangrel  men  came  to  Lithend  from  the  east 
across  Markfleet,  and  said  that  Swart  had  been  in  Red- 
slip,  and  hewn  wood,  and  done  a  deal  of  work. 

"So,"  says  Hallgerda,  "Bergthora  must  mean  to  rob 
me  in  many  things,  but  I'll  take  care  that  he  does  not  hew 
again." 

KJrleve,  (.  e.,  bailiff,  head  workman. 

40 


Rannveig,  Gunnar's  mother,  heard  that,  and  said, — 
"There  have  been  good  housewives  before  now,  though 
they  never  set  their  hearts  on  manslaughter." 

Now  the  night  wore  away,  and  early  next  morning 
Hallgerda  came  to  speak  to  Kol,  and  said — "I  have 
thought  of  some  work  for  thee;"  and  with  that  she  put 
weapons  into  his  hands,  and  went  on  to  say — "Fare  thou 
to  Redslip;  there  wilt  thou  find  Swart." 

"What  shall  I  do  to  him?"  he  says. 

"Askest  thou  that  when  thou  art  the  worst  of  men?" 
she  says.  "Thou  shalt  kill  him." 

"I  can  get  that  done,"  he  says,  "but  'tis  more  likely 
that  I  shall  lose  my  own  life  for  it." 

"Everything  grows  big  in  thy  eyes,"  she  says,  "and 
thou  behavest  ill  to  say  this  after  I  have  spoken  up  for 
thee  in  everything.  I  must  get  another  man  to  do  this 
if  thou  darest  not." 

He  took  the  axe,  and  was  v«ery  wroth,  and  takes  a 
horse  that  Gunnar  owned,  and  rides  now  till  he  comes 
east  of  Markfleet.  There  he  got  off  and  bided  in  the 
wood,  till  they  had  carried  down  the  firewood,  and  Swart 
was  left  alone  behind.  Then  Kol  sprang  on  him,  and 
said — "More  folk  can  hew  great  strokes  than  thou  alone ;" 
and  so  he  laid  the  axe  on  his  head,  and  smote  him  his 
death-blow,  and  rides  home  afterwards,  and  tells  Hall- 
gerda of  the  slaying. 

She  said — "I  shall  take  such  good  care  of  thee,  that  no 
harm  shall  come  to  thee." 

"May  be  so,"  says  he,  "but  I  dreamt  all  the  other  way 
as  I  slept  ere  I  did  the  deed." 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Now  they  come  up  into  the  wood,  and  find  Swart 
slain,  and  bear  him  home.  Hallgerda  sent  a  man  to  Gun- 
nar  at  the  Thing  to  tell  him  of  the  slaying.  Gtmnar  said 
no  hard  words  at  first  of  Hallgerda  to  the  messenger, 
and  men  knew  not  at  first  whether  he  thought  well  or  ill 
of  it.  A  little  after  he  stood  up,  and  bade  his  men  go 
with  him;  they  did  so,  and  fared  to  Njal's  booth.  Gun- 
ner sent  a  man  to  fetch  Njal,  and  begged  him  to  come 
out.  Njal  went  out  at  once,  and  he  and  Gunnar  fell  a- 
talking,  and  Gunnar  said — 

"I  have  to  tell  thee  of  the  slaying  of  a  man,  and  my 
.wife  and  my  grieve  Kol  were  those  who  did  it ;  but  Swart, 
thy  house-carle,  fell  before  them." 

Njal  held  his  peace  while  he  told  him  the  whole  story. 
Then  Njal  spoke — 

"Thou  must  take  heed  not  to  let  her  have  her  way  in 
everything." 

Gunnar  said — "Thou  thyself  shall  settle  the  terms." 

Njal  spoke  again — "'Twill  be  hard  work  for  thee  to 
atone  for  all  Hallgerda's  mischief;  and  somewhere  else 
there  will  be  a  broader  trail  to  follow  than  this  which  we 
two  now  have  a  share  in,  and  yet,  even  here  there  will 
be  much  awanting  before  all  be  well ;  and  herein  we  shall 
need  to  bear  in  mind  the  friendly  words  that  passed  be- 
tween us  of  old ;  and  something  tells  me  that  thou  wilt 
come  well  out  of  it,  but  still  thou  wilt  be  sore  tried." 

Then  Njal  took  the  award  into  his  own  hands  from 
Gunnar,  and  said — 

"I  will  not  push  this  matter  to  the  uttermost;  thou 
shalt  pay  twelve  ounces  of  silver;  but  I  will  add  this  to 

42 


KOL  SLEW  SWART 

my  award,  that  if  anything  happens  from  our  homestead 
about  which  thou  hast  to  utter  an  award,  thou  wilt  not 
be  less  easy  in  thy  terms." 

Gunnar  paid  up  the  money  out  of  hand,  and  rode  home 
afterwards.  Njal,  too,  came  home  from  the  Thing,  and 
his  sons.  Bergthora  saw  the  money,  and  said — 

"This  is  very  justly  settled;  but  even  as  much  money 
shall  be  paid  for  Kol  as  time  goes  on." 

Gunnar  came  home  from  the  Thing  and  blamed  Hall- 
gerda.  She  said,  better  men  lay  unatoned  in  many  places. 
Gunnar  said,  she  might  have  her  way  in  beginning  a 
quarrel,  "but  how  the  matter  is  to  be  settled  rests  with 
me." 

Hallgerda  was  for  ever  chattering  of  Swart's  slaying, 
but  Bergthora  liked  that  ill.  Once  Njal  and  her  sons 
went  up  to  Thorolfsfell  to  see  about  the  house-keeping 
there,  but  that  self-same  day  this  thing  happened  when 
Bergthora  was  out  of  doors :  she  sees  a  man  ride  up  to 
the  house  on  a  black  horse.  She  stayed  there  and  did  not 
go  in,  for  she  did  not  know  the  man.  That  man  had  a 
spear  in  his  hand,  and  was  girded  with  a  short  sword. 
She  asked  this  man  his  name. 

"Atli  is  my  name,"  says  he. 

She  asked  whence  he  came. 

"I  am  an  Eastfirther,"  he  says. 

"Whither  shalt  thou  go?"  she  says. 

"I  am  a  homeless  man,"  says  he,  "and  I  thought  to  see 
Njal  and  Skarphedinn,  and  know  if  they  would  take  me 
in." 

"What  work  is  handiest  to  thee?"  says  she. 

43 


THE  STORY  OP  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  am  a  man  used  to  field-work,"  he  says,  "and  many 
things  else  come  very  handy  to  me;  but  I  will  not  hide 
from  thee  that  I  am  a  man  of  hard  temper,  and  it  has 
been  many  a  man's  lot  before  now  to  bind  up  wounds 
at  my  hand." 

"I  do  not  blame  thee,"  she  says,  "though  thou  art  no 
milksop." 

Atli  said — "Hast  thou  any  voice  in  things  here?" 

"I  am  Njal's  wife,"  she  says,  "and  I  have  as  much  to 
say  to  our  housefolk  as  he." 

"Wilt  thou  take  me  in  then?"  says  he. 

"I  will  give  thee  thy  choice  of  that,"  says  she.  "If 
thou  wilt  do  all  the  work  that  I  set  before  thee,  and  that 
though  I  wish  to  send  thee  where  a  man's  life  is  at 
stake." 

"Thou  must  have  so  many  men  at  thy  beck,"  says  he, 
"that  thou  wilt  not  need  me  for  such  work." 

"That  I  will  settle  as  I  please,"  she  says. 

"We  will  strike  a  bargain  on  these  terms,"  says  he. 

Then  she  took  him  into  the  household.  Njal  and  his 
sons  came  home  and  asked  Bergthora  what  man  that 
might  be? 

"He  is  thy  house-carle,"  she  says,  "and  I  took  him  in." 
Then  she  went  on  to  say  he  was  no  sluggard  at  work. 

"He  will  be  a  great  worker  enough,  I  daresay,"  says 
Njal,  "but  I  do  not  know  whether  he  will  be  such  a  good 
worker." 

Skarphedinn  was  good  to  Atli. 

Njal  and  his  sons  ride  to  the  Thing  in  the  course  of 
the  summer;  Gunnar  was  also  at  the  Thing. 

44 


THE  SLAYING   OF  KOL,    WHOM   ATLI  SLEW 

Njal  took  out  a  purse  of  money. 

"What  money  is  that,  father?" 

"Here  is  the  money  that  Gnnnar  oaid  me  for  our 
house-carle  last  summer." 

"That  will  come  to  stand  thee  in  some  stead,"  says 
Skarphedinn,  and  smiled  as  he  spoke. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  KOL,  WHOM  ATLI  SLEW. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  Atli 
asked  Bergthora  what  work  he  should  do  that  day. 

"I  have  thought  of  some  work  for  thee,"  she  says ; 
"thou  shalt  go  and  look  for  Kol  until  thou  find  him ;  for 
now  shalt  thou  slay  him  this  very  day,  if  thou  wilt  do 
my  will." 

"This  work  is  well  fitted,"  says  Atli,  "for  each  of  us 
two  are  bad  fellows ;  but  still  I  will  so  lay  myself  out  for 
him  that  one  or  other  of  us  shall  die." 

"Well  mayest  thou  fare,"  she  says,  "and  thou  shalt  not 
do  this  deed  for  nothing." 

He  took  his  weapons  and  his  horse,  and  rode  up  to 
Fleetlithe,  and  there  met  men  who  were  coming  down 
from  Lithend.  They  were  at  home  east  in  the  Mark. 
They  asked  Atli  whither  he  meant  to  go?  He  said  he 
was  riding  to  look  for  an  old  jade.  They  said  that  was 
a  small  errand  for  such  a  workman,  "but  still  t' would  be 
better  to  ask  those  who  have  been  about  last  night." 

"Who  are  they?"  says  he. 

"Killing-Kol,"  say  they,  "Hallgerda's  house-carle, 
fared  from  the  fold  just  now,  and  has  been  awake  all 
night." 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  do  not  know  whether  I  dare  to  meet  him,"  says 
Atli,  "he  is  bad-tempered  and  may  be  that  I  shall  let  an- 
other's wound  be  my  warning." 

"Thou  bearest  that  look  beneath  the  brows  as  though 
thou  wert  no  coward,"  they  said,  and  showed  him  where 
Kol  was. 

Then  he  spurred  his  horse  and  rides  fast,  and  when  he 
meets  Kol,  Atli  said  to  him — 

"Go  the  pack-saddle  bands  well?" 

"That's  no  business  of  thine,  worthless  fellow,  nor  of 
any  one  else  whence  thou  comest." 

Atli  said — "Thou  hast  something  behind  that  is  earnest 
work,  but  that  is  to  die." 

After  that  Atli  thrust  at  him  with  his  spear,  and  struck 
him  about  his  middle.  Kol  swept  at  him  with  his  axe, 
but  missed  him,  and  fell  off  his  horse,  and  died  at  once. 

Atli  rode  till  he  met  some  of  Hallgerda's  workmen, 
and  said,  "Go  ye  up  to  the  horse  yonder,  and  look  to  Kol, 
for  he  has  fallen  off,  and  is  dead." 

"Hast  thou  slain  him?"  say  they. 

"Well,  'twill  seem  to  Hallgerda  as  though  he  has  not 
fallen  by  his  own  hand." 

After  that  Atli  rode  home  and  told  Bergthora;  she 
thanked  him  for  this  deed,  and  for  the  words  which  he 
had  spoken  about  it. 

"I  do  not  know,"  says  he,  "what  Njal  will  think  of 
this." 

"He  will  take  it  well  upon  his  hands,"  she  says,  "and 
I  will  tell  thee  one  thing  as  a  token  of  it,  that  he  has 
carried  away  with  him  to  the  Thing  the  price  of  that 

46 


THE  SLAYING   OF  KOL,   WHOM   ATLI  SLEW 

thrall  which  we  took  last  spring,  and  that  money  will  now 
serve  for  Kol ;  but  though  peace  be  made  thou  must  still 
beware  of  thyself,  for  Hallgerda  will  keep  no  peace." 

"Wilt  thou  send  at  all  a  man  to  Njal  to  tell  him  of  the 
slaying?" 

"I  will  not,"  she  says,  "I  should  like  it  better  that  Kol 
were  unatoned." 

Then  they  stopped  talking  about  it. 

Hallgerda  was  told  of  Kol's  slaying,  and  of  the  words 
that  Atli  had  said.  She  said  Atli  should  be  paid  off  for 
them.  She  sent  a  man  to  the  Thing  to  tell  Gunnar  of 
Kol's  slaying;  he  answered  little  or  nothing,  and  sent  a 
man  to  tell  Njal.  He  too  made  no  answer,  but  Skarphe- 
dinn  said — 

"Thralls  are  men  of  more  mettle  than  of  yore;  they 
used  to  fly  at  each  other  and  fight,  and  no  one  thought 
much  harm  of  that;  but  now  they  will  do  naught  but 
kill,"  and  as  he  said  this  he  smiled. 

Njal  pulled  down  the  purse  of  money  which  hung  up  in 
the  booth,  and  went  out,  his  son  went  with  him  to  Gun- 
nar's  booth. 

Skarphedinn  said  to  a  man  who  was  in  the  doorway  of 
the  booth — 

"Say  thou  to  Gunnar  that  my  father  wants  to  see  him." 

He  did  so,  and  Gunnar  went  out  at  once  and  gave  Njal 
a  hearty  welcome.  After  that  they  began  to  talk. 

"'Tis  ill  done,"  says  Njal,  "that  my  housewife  should 
have  broken  the  peace,  and  let  thy  house-carle  be  slain." 

"She  shall  not  have  blame  for  that,"  says  Gunnar. 

"Settle  the  award  thyself,"  says  Njal. 

47 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"So  I  will  do,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  I  value  those  two 
men  at  an  even  price,  Swart  and  Kol.  Thou  shalt  pay 
me  twelve  ounces  in  silver." 

Njal  took  the  purse  of  money  and  handed  it  to(Gun- 
nar.  Gunnar  knew  the  money,  and  saw  it  was  the  same 
that  he  had  paid  Njal.  Njal  went  away  to  his  booth,  and 
they  were  just  as  good  friends  as  before.  When  Njal 
came  home,  he  blamed  Bergthora ;  but  she  said  she  would 
never  give  way  to  Hallgerda.  Hallgerda  was  very  cross 
with  Gunnar,  because  he  had  made  peace  for  Kol's  slay- 
ing. Gunnar  told  her  he  would  never  break  with  Njal 
or  his  sons,  and  she  flew  into  a  great  rage;  but  Gunnar 
took  no  heed  of  that,  and  so  they  sat  for  that  year,  and 
nothing  noteworthy  happened. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  KILLING  OF  ATLI  THE  THRALL. 

NEXT  spring  Njal  said  to  Atli — "I  wish  that  thou 
wouldst  change  thy  abode  to  the  east  firths,  so  that  Hall- 
gerda may  not  put  an  end  to  thy  life." 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  that,"  says  Atli,  "and  I  will  will- 
ingly stay  at  home  if  I  have  the  choice." 

"Still  that  is  less  wise,"  says  Njal. 

"I  think  it  better  to  lose  my  life  in  thy  house  than  to 
change  my  master;  but  this  I  will  beg  of  thee,  if  I  am 
slain,  that  a  thrall's  price  shall  not  be  paid  for  me." 

"Thou  shalt  be  atoned  for  as  a  free  man ;  but  perhaps 
Bergthora  will  make  thee  a  promise,  which  she  will  ful- 
fil, that  revenge,  man  for  man,  shall  be  taken  for  thee." 

Then  he  made  up  his  mind  to  be  a  hired  servant  there. 


THE  KILLING  OF  ATLI   THE   THRAL 

Now  it  must  be  told  of  Hallgerda  that  she  sent  a  man 
west  to  Bearfirth,  to  fetch  Brynjolf  the  Unruly,  her  kins- 
man. He  was  a  base  son  of  Swan,  and  he  was  one  of  the 
worst  of  men.  Gunnar  knew  nothing  about  it.  Hall- 
gerda  said  he  was  well  fitted  to  be  a  grieve.  So  Brynjolf 
came  from  the  west,  and  Gunnar  asked  what  he  was  to  do 
there?  He  said  he  was  going  to  stay  there. 

"Thou  wilt  not  better  our  household,"  says  Gunnar, 
"after  what  has  been  told  me  of  thee,  but  I  will  not  turn 
away  any  of  Hallgerda's  kinsmen,  whom  she  wishes  to  be 
with  her." 

Gunnar  said  little,  but  was  not  unkind  to  him,  and  so 
things  went  on  till  the  Thing.  Gunnar  rides  to  the  Thing 
and  Kolskegg  rides  too,  and  when  they  came  to  the 
Thing  they  and  Njal  met,  for  he  and  his  sons  were  at  the 
Thing,  and  all  went  well  with  Gunnar  and  them. 

Bergthora  said  to  Atli — "Go  thou  up  into  Thorolfsfell 
and  work  there  a  week." 

So  he  went  up  thither,  and  was  there  on  the  sly,  and 
burnt  charcoal  in  the  wood. 

Hallgerda  said  to  Brynjolf — "I  have  been  told  Atli  is 
not  at  home,  and  he  must  be  winning  work  on  Thorolfs- 
fell." 

"What  thinkest  thou  likeliest  that  he  is  working  at?" 
says  he. 

"At  something  in  the  wood,"  she  says. 

"What  shall  I  do  to  him?"  he  asks. 

"Thou  shalt  kill  him,"  says  she. 

He  was  rather  slow  in  answering  her,  and  Hallgerda 
said — 

49 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"  'Twould  grow  less  in  Thiostolf's  eyes  to  kill  Atli  if 
he  were  alive." 

"Thou  shalt  have  no  need  to  goad  me  on  much  more," 
he  says,  and  then  he  seized  his  weapons,  and  takes  his 
horse  and  mounts,  and  rides  to  Thorolfsfell.  There  he 
saw  a  great  reek  of  coal  smoke  east  of  the  homestead,  so 
he  rides  thither,  and  gets  off  his  horse  and  ties  him  up, 
but  he  goes  where  the  smoke  was  thickest.  Then  he  sees 
where  the  charcoal  pit  is,  and  a  man  stands  by  it.  He 
saw  that  he  had  thrust  his  spear  in  the  ground  by  him. 
Brynjolf  goes  along  with  the  smoke  right  up  to  him,  but 
he  was  eager  at  his  work,  and  saw  him  not.  Brynjolf 
gave  him  a  stroke  on  the  head  with  his  axe,  and  he  turn- 
ed so  quick  round  that  Brynjolf  loosed  his  hold  of  the 
axe,  and  Atli  grasped  the  spear,  and  hurled  it  after  him. 
Then  Brynjolf  cast  himself  down  on  the  ground,  but  the 
spear  flew  away  over  him. 

"Lucky  for  thee  that  I  was  not  ready  for  thee,"  says 
Atli,  "but  now  Hallgerda  will  be  well  pleased,  for  thou 
wilt  tell  her  of  my  death ;  but  it  is  a  comfort  to  know  that 
thou  wilt  have  the  same  fate  soon;  but  come  now,  take 
thy  axe  which  has  been  here." 

He  answered  him  never  a  word,  nor  did  he  take  the 
axe  before  he  was  dead.  Then  he  rode  up  to  the  house 
on  Thorolfsfell,  and  told  of  the  slaying,  and  after  that 
rode  home  and  told  Hallgerda.  She  sent  men  to  Berg- 
thorsknoll,  and  let  them  tell  Bergthora,  that  now  Kol's 
slaying  was  paid  for. 

After  that  Hallgerda  sent  a  man  to  the  Thing  to  tell 
Gunnar  of  Atli's  killing. 

50 


THE  KILLING  OF  ATLI  THE   THRAL 

Gunnar  stood  up,  and  Kolskegg  with  him,  and  Kols- 
kegg  said — 

"Unthrifty  will  Hallgerda's  kinsmen  be  to  thee." 

Then  they  go  to  see  Njal,  and  Gunnar  said — 

"I  have  to  tell  thee  of  Atli's  killing."  He  told  him 
also  who  slew  him,  and  went  on,  "and  now  I  will  bid 
thee  atonement  for  the  deed,  and  thou  shalt  make  the 
award  thyself." 

Njal  said — "We  two  have  always  meant  never  to  come 
to  strife  about  anything;  but  still  I  cannot  make  him  out 
a  thrall." 

Gunnar  said  that  was  all  right,  and  stretched  out  his 
hand. 

Njal  named  his  witnesses,  and  they  made  peace  on  those 
terms. 

Skarphedinn  said,  "Hallgerda  does  not  let  our  house- 
carles  die  of  old  age." 

Gunnar  said,  "Thy  mother  will  take  care  that  blow 
goes  for  blow  between  the  houses." 

"Ay,  ay,"  says  Njal,  "there  will  be  enough  of  that 
work." 

After  that  Njal  fixed  the  price  at  a  hundred  in  silver, 
but  Gunnar  paid  it  down  at  once.  Many  who  stood  by 
said  that  the  award  was  high;  Gunnar  got  wroth,  and 
said  that  a  full  atonement  was  often  paid  for  those  who 
were  no  brisker  men  that  Atli. 

With  that  they  rode  home  from  the  Thing. 

Bergthora  said  to  Njal  when  she  saw  the  money — 
"Thou  thinkest  thou  hast  fulfilled  thy  promise,  but  now 
my  promise  is  still  behind." 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"There  is  no  need  that  thou  shouldst  fulfil  it,"  says 
Njal. 

"Nay,"  says  she,  "thou  hast  guessed  it  would  be  so; 
and  so  it  shall  be." 

Hallgerda  said  to  Gunnar — 

"Hast  thou  paid  a  hundred  in  silver  for  Atli's  slaying, 
and  made  him  a  free  man  ?" 

"He  was  free  before,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  besides,  I 
will  not  make  Njal's  household  outlaws  who  have  for- 
feited their  rights." 

"There's  not  a  pin  to  choose  between  you,"  she  said, 
"for  both  of  you  are  so  blate." 

"That's  as  things  prove,"  says  he. 

Then  Gunnar  was  for  a  long  time  very  short  with  her, 
till  she  gave  way  to  him ;  and  now  all  was  still  for  the 
rest  of  that  year;  in  the  spring  Njal  did  not  increase  his 
household,  and  now  men  ride  to  the  Thing  about  sum- 
mer. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  BRYNJOLF  THE  UNRULY. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Thord,  he  was  surnamed 
Freedmanson.  Sigtrygg  was  his  father's  name,  and  he 
had  been  the  freedman  of  Asgerd,  and  he  was  drowned 
in  Markfleet.  That  was  why  Thord  was  with  Njal  af- 
terwards. He  was  a  tall  man  and  a  strong,  and  he  had 
fostered  all  Njal's  sons.  He  had  set  his  heart  on  Gud- 
finna  Thorolf's  daughter,  Njal's  kins-woman;  she  was 
housekeeper  at  home  there,  and  was  then  with  child. 

Now  Bergthora  came  to  talk  with  Thord  Freedman- 
son; she  said —  -2 


THE  SLAYING  OF  BRYNJOLF  THE  UNRULY 

"Thou  shalt  go  to  kill  Brynjolf,  Hallgerda's  kinsman." 

"I  am  no  man-slayer,"  he  says,  "but  still  I  will  do  what 
ever  thou  wilt." 

"This  is  my  will,"  she  says. 

After  that  he  went  up  to  Lithend,  and  made  them 
call  Hallgerda  out,  and  asked  where  Brynjolf  might  be. 

"What's  thy  will  with  him  ?"  she  says. 

"I  want  him  to  tell  me  where  he  has  hidden  Atli's 
body;  I  have  heard  say  that  he  has  buried  it  badly." 

She  pointed  to  him,  and  said  he  was  down  yonder  in 
Acretongue. 

"Take  heed,"  says  Thord,  "that  the  same  thing  does 
not  befall  him  as  befell  Atli." 

"Thou  art  no  man-slayer,"  she  says,  "and  so  nought 
will  come  of  it  even  if  ye  two  do  meet." 

"Never  have  I  seen  man's  blood,  nor  do  I  know  how 
I  should  feel  if  I  did,"  he  says,  and  gallops  out  of  the 
"town"  and  down  to  Acretongue. 

Rannveig,  Gunnar's  mother,  had  heard  their  talk. 

"Thou  goadest  his  mind  much,  Hallgerda,"  she  says, 
"but  I  think  him  a  dauntless  man,  and  that  thy  kinsman 
will  find." 

They  met  on  the  beaten  way,  Thord  and  Brynjolf; 
and  Thord  said — "Guard  thee,  Brynjolf,  for  I  will  do  no 
dastard's  deed  by  thee." 

Brynjolf  rode  at  Thord,  and  smote  at  him  with  his 
axe.  He  smote  at  him  at  the  same  time  with  his  axe, 
and  hewed  in  sunder  the  haft  just  above  Brynjolf  s  hands, 
and  then  hewed  at  him  at  once  a  second  time,  and  struck 
him  on  the  collar-bone,  and  the  blow  went  straight  into 

53 


THE  STORY  OF  BURtiT  NjAL 

his  trunk.  Then  he  fell  from  horseback,  and  was  dead 
on  the  spot. 

Thord  met  Hallgerda's  herdsmen,  and  gave  out  the 
slaying  as  done  by  his  hand,  and  said  where  he  lay,  and 
bade  him  tell  Hallgerda  of  the  slaying.  After  that  he 
rode  home  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  told  Bergthora  of  the 
slaying,  and  other  people  too. 

"Good  luck  go  with  thy  hands,"  she  said. 

The  herdsmen  told  Hallgerda  of  the  slaying;  she  was 
snappish  at  it,  and  said  much  ill  would  come  of  it,  if  she 
might  have  her  way. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

SIGMUND  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND. 

THERE  was  a  man  whose  name  was  Sigmund.  He  was 
the  son  of  Lambi,  the  son  of  Sighvat  the  Red.  He  was 
a  great  voyager,  and  a  comely  and  a  courteous  man;  tall 
too,  and  strong.  He  was  a  man  of  proud  spirit,  and  a 
good  skald,  and  well  trained  in  most  feats  of  strength. 
He  was  noisy  and  boisterous,  and  given  to  jibes  and 
mocking.  He  made  the  land  east  in  Hornfirth.  Skiolld 
was  the  name  of  his  fellow-traveller;  he  was  a  Swedish 
man,  and  ill  to  do  with.  They  took  horse  and  rode  from 
the  east  out  of  Hornfirth,  and  did  not  draw  bridle  be- 
fore they  came  to  Lithend,  in  the  Fleetlithe.  Gunnar 
gave  them  a  hearty  welcome,  for  the  bonds  of  kinship 
were  close  between  them.  Gunnar  begged  Sigmund  to 
stay  there  that  winter,  and  Sigmund  said  he  would  take 
the  offer  if  Skiolld  his  fellow  might  be  there  too. 

"Well,  I  have  been  so  told  about  him,"  said  Gunnar, 

54 


SIGMUND  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND 

"that  he  is  no  better  of  thy  temper;  but  as  it  is,  thou 
rather  needest  to  have  it  bettered.  This,  too,  is  a  bad 
house  to  stay  at,  and  I  would  just  give  both  of  you  a  bit 
of  advice,  my  kinsmen,  not  to  fire  up  at  the  egging  on 
of  my  wife  Hallgerda;  for  she  takes  much  in  hand  that 
is  far  from  my  will." 

"His  hands  are  clean  who  warns  another,"  says  Sig- 
mund. 

"Then  mind  the  advice  given  thee,"  says  Gunnar,  "for 
thou  art  sure  to  be  sore  tried ;  and  go  along  always  with 
me,  and  lean  upon  my  counsel." 

After  that  they  were  in  Gunnar's  company.  Hallgerda 
was  good  to  Sigmund ;  and  it  soon  came  about  that  things 
grew  so  warm  that  she  loaded  him  with  money,  and 
tended  him  no  worse  than  her  own  husband;  and  many 
talked  about  that,  and  did  not  know  what  lay  under  it. 

One  day  Hallgerda  said  to  Gunnar — "It  is  not  good 
to  be  content  with  that  hundred  in  silver  which  thou  took- 
est  for  my  kinsman  Brynjolf.  I  shall  avenge  him  if  I 
may,"  she  says. 

Gunnar  said  he  had  no  mind  to  bandy  words  with  her, 
and  went  away.  He  met  Kolskegg,  and  said  to  him,  "Go 
and  see  Njal;  and  tell  him  that  Thord  must  be  ware  of 
himself  though  peace  has  been  made,  for,  methinks,  there 
is  faithlessness  somewhere." 

He  rode  off  and  told  Njal,  but  Njal  told  Thord,  and 
Kolskegg  rode  home,  and  Njal  thanked  them  for  their 
faithfulness. 

Once  en  a  time  they  two  were  out  in  the  "town,"  Njal 
and  Thord ;  a  he-goat  was.  wont  to  go  up  and  down  in 

55 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

the  "town"  and  no  one  was  allowed  to  drive  him  away. 
Then  Thord  spoke  and  said — 

"Well,  this  is  a  wondrous  thing!" 

"What  is  it  that  thou  see'st  that  seems  after  a  won- 
drous fashion  ?"  says  Njal. 

"Methinks  the  goat  lies  here  in  the  hollow,  and  he  is 
all  one  gore  of  blood." 

Njal  said  there  was  no  goat  there,  nor  anything  else. 

"What  is  it  then  ?"  says  Thord. 

"Thou  must  be  a  'fey'  man,"  says  Njal,  "and  thou 
must  have  seen  the  fetch  that  follows  thee,  and  now  be 
ware  of  thyself." 

"That  will  stand  me  in  no  stead,"  says  Thord,  "if 
death  is  doomed  for  me." 

Then  Hallgerda  came  to  talk  with  Thrain  Sigfus'  son, 
and  said — "I  would  think  thee  my  son-in-law  indeed," 
she  says,  "if  thou  slayest  Thord  Freedmanson." 

"I  will  not  do  that,"  he  says,  "for  then  I  shall  have 
the  wrath  of  my  kinsman  Gunnar;  and  besides,  great 
things  hang  on  this  deed,  for  this  slaying  would  soon  be 
avenged." 

"Who  will  avenge  it?"  she  asks;  "is  it  the  beardless 
carle?" 

"Not  so,"  says  he;  "his  sons  will  avenge  it." 

After  that  they  talked  long  and  low,  and  no  man  knew 
what  counsel  they  took  together. 

Once  it  happened  that  Gunnar  was  not  at  home,  but 
those  companions  were.  Thrain  had  come  in  from  Grit- 
water,  and  then  he  and  they  and  Hallgerda  sat  out  of 
doors  and  talked.  Then  Hallgerda  said — 

56 


SIGMUND  COMES  OUT  TO  ICELAND 

"This  have  ye  two  brothers  in  arms,  Sigmtmd  and 
Skiolld,  promised  to  slay  Thord  Freedmanson;  but 
Thrain  thou  hast  promised  me  that  thou  wouldst  stand 
by  them  when  they  did  the  deed." 

They  all  acknowledged  that  they  had  given  her  this 
promise. 

"Now  I  will  counsel  you  how  to  do  it,"  she  says:  "Ye 
shall  ride  east  into  Hornfirth  after  your  goods,  and  come 
home  about  the  beginning  of  the  Thing,  but  if  ye  are  at 
home  before  it  begins,  Gunnar  will  wish  that  ye  should 
ride  to  the  Thing  with  him.  Njal  will  be  at  the  Thing, 
and  his  sons  and  Gunnar,  but  then  ye  two  shall  slay 
Thord." 

They  all  agreed  that  this  plan  should  be  carried  out. 
After  that  they  busked  them  east  to  the  Firth,  and  Gun- 
nar was  not  aware  of  what  they  were  about,  and  Gunnar 
rode  to  the  Thing.  Njal  sent  Thord  Freedmanson  away 
east  under  Eyjafell,  and  bade  him  be  away  there  one 
night.  So  he  went  east,  but  he  could  not  get  back  from 
the  east,  for  the  Fleet  had  risen  so  high  that  it  could  not 
be  crossed  on  horseback  ever  so  far  up.  Njal  waited  for 
him  one  night,  for  he  had  meant  him  to  have  ridden  with 
him;  and  Njal  said  to  Bergthora,  that  she  must  send 
Thord  to  the  Thing  as  soon  as  ever  he  came  home.  Two 
nights  after,  Thord  came  from  the  east,  and  Bergthora 
told  him  that  he  must  ride  to  the  Thing,  "but  first  thou 
shalt  ride  up  into  Thorolfsfell  and  see  about  the  farm 
there,  and  do  not  be  there  longer  than  one  or  two  nights." 


57 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NtAL 
CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  THORD  FREEDMANSON. 

THEN  Sigmund  came  from  the  east  and  those  compan- 
ions. Hallgerda  told  them  that  Thord  was  at  home,  but 
that  he  was  to  ride  straightaway  to  the  Thing  after  a  few 
nights'  space.  "Now  ye  will  have  a  fair  chance  at  him," 
he  says,  "but  if  this  goes  off,  ye  will  never  get  nigh  him." 
Men  came  to  Lithend  from  Thorolfsfell,  and  told  Hall- 
gerda that  Thord  was  there.  Hallgerda  went  to  Thrain 
Sigfus'  son,  and  his  companions,  and  said  to  him,  "Now 
is  Thord  on  Thorolfsfell,  and  now  your  best  plan  is  to 
fall  on  him  and  kill  him  as  he  goes  home." 

"That  we  will  do,"  says  Sigmund.  So  they  went  out, 
and  took  their  weapons  and  horses  and  rode  on  the  way 
to  meet  him.  Sigmund  said  to  Thrain,  "Now  thou  shalt 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it;  for  we  shall  not  need  all  of 
us." 

"Very  well,  so  I  will,"  says  he. 

Then  Thord  rode  up  to  them  a  little  while  after,  and 
Sigmund  said  to  him — 

"Give  thyself  up,"  he  says,  "for  now  shalt  thou  die." 

"That  shall  not  be,"  says  Thord,  "come  thou  to  single 
combat  with  me." 

"That  shall  not  be  either,"  says  Sigmund,  "we  will 
make  the  most  of  our  numbers;  but  it  is'not  strange  that 
Skarphedinn  is  strong,  for  it  is  said  that  a  fourth  of  a 
foster-child's  strength  comes  from  the  foster-father." 

"Thou  wilt  feel  the  force  of  that,"  says  Thord,  "for 
Skarphedinn  will  avenge  me." 

58 


NJAL  AND  GUNNAR  MAKE  PEACE 

After  that  they  fall  on  him,  and  he  breaks  a  spear  of 
each  of  them,  so  well  did  he  guard  himself.  Then  Skiolld 
cut  off  his  hand,  and  he  still  kept  them  off  with  his  other 
hand  for  some  time,  till  Sigmund  thrust  him  through. 
Then  he  fell  dead  to  earth.  They  threw  over  him  turf  and 
stones;  and  Thrain  said — "We  have  won  an  ill  work, 
and  Njal's  sons  will  take  this  slaying  ill  when  they  hear 
of  it." 

They  ride  home  and  tell  Hallgerda.  She  was  glad  to 
hear  of  the  slaying,  but  Rannveig,  Gunnar's  mother, 
said — 

"It  is  said  'but  a  short  while  is  hand  fain  of  blow/  and 
so  it  will  be  here ;  but  still  Gunnar  will  set  thee  free  from 
this  matter.  But  if  Hallgerda  makes  thee  take  another 
fly  in  thy  mouth,  then  that  will  be  thy  bane." 

Hallgerda  sent  a  man  to  Bergthorsknoll,  to  tell  the 
slaying,  and  another  man  to  the  Thing,  to  tell  it  to  Gun- 
nar. Bergthora  said  she  would  not  fight  against  Hall- 
gerda with  ill  words  about  such  a  matter;  "that,"  quoth 
she,  "would  be  no  revenge  for  so  great  a  quarrel." 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

NJAIv   AND  GUNNAR   MAKE   PEACE   FOR    THE   SLAYING  OF 

THORD. 

BUT  when  the  messenger  came  to  the  Thing  to  tell 
Gunnar  of  the  slaying,  then  Gunnar  said — 

"This  has  happened  ill,  and  no  tidings  could  come  to 
my  ears  which  I  should  think  worse ;  but  yet  we  will  now 
go  at  once  and  see  Njal.  I  still  hope  he  may  take  it  well, 
though  he  be  sorely  tried." 

59 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

So  they  went  to  see  Njal,  and  called  him  to  come  out, 
and  talk  to  them.  He  went  out  at  once  to  meet  Gunnar, 
and  they  talked,  nor  were  there  any  more  men  by  at  first 
than  Kolskegg. 

"Hard  tidings  have  I  to  tell  thee,"  says  Gunnar;  "the 
slaying  of  Thord  Freedmanson,  and  I  wish  to  offer  thee 
self-doom  for  the  slaying." 

Njal  held  his  peace  some  while,  and  then  said — 

"That  is  well  offered,  and  I  will  take  it ;  but  yet  it  is  to 
be  looked  for,  that  I  shall  have  blame  from  my  wife  or 
from  my  sons  for  that,  for  it  will  mislike  them  much; 
but  still  I  will  run  the  risk,  for  I  know  that  I  have  to  deal 
with  a  good  man  and  true ;  nor  do  I  wish  that  any  breach 
should  arise  in  our  friendship  on  my  part." 

"Wilt  thou  let  thy  sons  be  by,  pray  ?"  says  Gunnar. 

"I  will  not,"  says  Njal,  "for  they  will  not  break  the 
peace  which  I  make,  but  if  they  stand  by  while  we  make 
it,  they  will  not  pull  well  together  with  us." 

"So  it  shall  be,"  says  Gunnar.    "See  thou  to  it  alone." 

Then  they  shook  one  another  by  the  hand,  and  made 
peace  well  and  quickly. 

Then  Njal  said — "The  award  that  I  make  is  two  hun- 
dred in  silver,  and  that  thou  wilt  think  much." 

"I  do  not  think  it  too  much,"  says  Gunnar,  and  went 
home  to  his  booth. 

Njal's  sons  came  home,  and  Skarphedinn  asked  whence 
that  great  sum  of  money  came,  which  his  father  held  in 
his  hand. 

Njal  said — "I  tell  you  of  your  foster-father's  Thord's 
slaying,  and  we  two,  Gunnar  arid  I,  have  now  made  peace 

60 


THE  SLAYING  OF  SIGMUND  AND  SKIOLLD 

in  the  matter,  and  he  has  paid  an  atonement  for  him  as 
for  two  men." 

"Who  slew  him?"  says  Skarphedinn. 

"Sigmund  and  Skiolld,  but  Thrain  was  standing  near 
too,"  says  Njal. 

"They  thought  they  had  need  of  much  strength,"  says 
Skarphedinn. 

"Yes!  when  shall  the  day  come  when  we  shall  lift  our 
hands?" 

"That  will  not  be  long  off,"  says  Njal,  "and  then  thou 
shalt  not  be  baulked ;  but  still,  methinks,  I  set  great  store 
on  your  not  breaking  this  peace  that  I  have  made." 

"Then  we  will  not  break  it,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "but  if 
anything  arises  between  us,  then  we  will  bear  in  mind  the 
old  feud." 

"Then  I  will  ask  you  to  spare  no  one,"  says  Njal. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  SIGMUND  AND  SKIOLLD. 

Now  they,  Njal's  sons,  fare  up  to  Fleetlithe,  and  were 
that  night  under  the  Lithe,  and  when  the  day  began  to 
break,  they  came  near  to  Lithend.  That  same  morning 
both  Sigmund  and  Skiolld  rose  up  and  meant  to  go  to 
the  stud-horses ;  they  had  bits  with  them,  and  caught  the 
horses  that  were  in  the  "town"  and  rode  away  on  them. 
They  found  the  stud-horses  between  two  brooks.  Skarp- 
hedinn caught  sight  of  them,  for  Sigmund  was  in  bright 
clothing.  Skarphedinn  said,  "See  you  now  the  red  elf 
yonder,  lads?"  They  looked  that  way,  and  said  they  saw 
him. 

61 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Skarphedinn  spoke  again :  "Thou,  Hauskuld,  shalt 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it,  for  thou  wilt  often  be  sent 
about  alone  without  due  heed;  but  I  mean  Sigmund  for 
myself ;  methinks  that  is  like  a  man ;  but  Grim  and  Helgi, 
they  shall  try  to  slay  Skiolld." 

Hauskuld  sat  him  down,  but  they  went  until  they  came 
up  to  them.  Skarphedinn  said  to  Sigmund — 

"Take  thy  weapons  and  defend  thyself;  that  is  more 
needful  now,  than  to  make  mocking  songs  on  me  and 
my  brothers."  . 

Sigmund  took  up  his  weapons,  but  Skarphedinn  waited 
the  while.  Skiolld  turned  against  Grim  and  Helgi,  and 
they  fell  hotly  to  fight.  Sigmund  had  a  helm  on  his 
head,  and  a  shield  at  his  side,  and  was  girt  with  a  sword, 
his  spear  was  in  his  hand;  now  he  turns  against  Skarp- 
hedinn, and  thrusts  at  once  at  him  with  his  spear,  and  the 
thrust  came  on  his  shield.  Skarphedinn  dashes  the  spear- 
haft  in  two,  and  lifts  up  his  axe  and  hews  at  Sigmund, 
and  cleaves  his  shield  down  to  below  the  handle.  Sig- 
mund drew  his  sword  and  cut  at  Skarphedinn,  and  the 
sword  cuts  into  his  shield,  so  that  it  stuck  fast.  Skarphe- 
dinn gave  the  shield  such  a  quick  twist,  that  Sigmund 
let  go  his  sword.  Then  Skarphedinn  hews  at  Sigmund 
with  his  axe,  the  "Ogress  of  war."  Sigmund  had  on  a 
corselet,  the  axe  came  on  his  shoulder.  Skarphedinn  cleft 
the  shoulder-blade  right  through,  and  at  the  same  time 
pulled  the  axe  towards  him.  Sigmund  fell  down  on  both 
knees,  but  sprang  up  again  at  once. 

"Thou  hast  lifted  low  to  me  already,"  says  Skarphe- 
dinn, "but  still  thou  shalt  fall  upon  thy  mother's  bosom 
ere  we  two  part." 


THE  SLAYING  OF  SIGMUND  AND  SKIOLLD 

"111  is  that  then,"  says  Sigmund. 

Skarphedinn  gave  him  a  blow  on  his  helm,  and  after 
that  dealt  Sigmund  his  death-blow. 

Grim  cut  off  Skiolld's  foot  at  the  ankle-joint,  but  Helgi 
thrust  him  through  with  his  spear,  and  he  got  his  death 
there  and  then. 

Skarphedinn  saw  Hallgerda's  shepherd,  just  as  he  had 
hewn  off  Sigmund's  head ;  he  handed  the  head  to  the  shep- 
herd, and  bade  him  bear  it  to  Hallgerda,  and  said  she 
would  know  whether  that  head  had  made  jeering  songs 
about  them,  and  with  that  he  sang  a  song. 

The  shepherd  casts  the  head  down  as  soon  as  ever  they 
parted,  for  he  dared  not  do  so  while  their  eyes  were  on 
hir.i.  They  fared  along  till  they  met  some  men  down  by 
Markfleet,  and  told  them  the  tidings.  Skarphedinn  gave 
himself  out  as  the  slayer  of  Sigmund;  and  Grim  and 
Helgi  as  the  slayers  of  Skiolld ;  then  they  fared  home  and 
told  Njal  the  tidings.  He  answers  them — 

"Good  luck  to  your  hands!  Here  no  self-doom  will 
come  to  pass  as  things  stand." 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  the  shep- 
herd came  home  to  Lithend.  He  told  Hallgerda  the 
tidings. 

"Skarphedinn  put  Sigmund's  head  into  my  hands,"  he 
says,  "and  bade  me  bring  it  thee;  but  I  dared  not  do  it, 
for  I  knew  not  how  thou  wouldst  like  that." 

"'Twas  ill  that  thou  didst  not  do  that,"  she  says;  "I 
would  have  brought  it  to  Gunnar,  and  then  he  would  have 
avenged  his  kinsman,  or  have  to  bear  every  man's  blame." 

After  that  she  went  to  Gunnar  and  said,  "I  tell  thee  of 

63 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

thy  kinsman  Sigmund's  slaying:  Skarphedinn  slew  him, 
and  wanted  them  to  bring  me  the  head." 

"Just  what  might  be  looked  for  to  befall  him,"  says 
Gunnar,  "for  ill  redes  bring  ill  luck,  and  both  you  and 
Skarphedinn  have  often  done  one  another  spiteful  turns." 

Then  Gunnar  went  away;  he  let  no  steps  be  taken 
towards  a  suit  for  manslaughter,  and  did  nothing  about  it. 
Hallgerda  often  put  him  in  mind  of  it,  and  kept  saying 
that  Sigmund  had  fallen  unatoned.  Gunnar  gave  no  heed 
to  that. 

Now  three  Things  passed  away,  at  each  of  which  men 
thought  that  he  would  follow  up  the  suit :  then  a  knotty 
point  came  on  Gunnar's  hands,  which  he  knew  not  how 
to  set  about,  and  then  he  rode  to  find  Njal.  He  gave 
Gunnar  a  hearty  welcome.  Gunnar  said  to  Njal,  "I  am 
come  to  seek  a  bit  of  good  counsel  at  thy  hands  about  a 
knotty  point." 

"Thou  art  worthy  of  it,"  says  Njal,  and  gave  him  coun- 
sel what  to  do.  Then  Gunnar  stood  up  and  thanked  him. 
Njal  then  spoke  and  said,  and  took  Gunnar  by  the  hand, 
"Over  long  hath  thy  kinsman  Sigmund  been  unatoned." 
"He  has  been  long  ago  atoned,"  says  Gunnar,  "but  still 
I  will  not  fling  back  the  honour  offered  me." 

Gunnar  had  never  spoken  an  ill  word  of  Njal's  sons. 
Njal  would  have  nothing  else  than  that  Gunnar  should 
make  his  own  award  in  the  matter.  He  awarded  two 
hundred  in  silver,  but  let  Skiolld  fall  without  a  price. 
They  paid  down  all  the  money  at  once. 

Gunnar  declared  this  their  atonement  at  the  Thingskala 
Thing,  when  most  men  were  at  it,  and  laid  great  weight 

64 


HOW  OTKELL  RODE  OVER  GUNNAR 

on  the  way  in  which  they  (Njal  and  his  sons)  had  be- 
haved ;  he  told  too  those  bad  words  which  cost  Sigmund 
his  life,  and  no  man  was  to  repeat  them  or  sing  the 
verses,  but  if  any  sung  them,  the  man  who  uttered  them 
was  to  fall  without  atonement. 

Both  Gunnar  and  Njal  gave  each  other  their  words  that 
no  such  matters  should  ever  happen  that  they  would  not 
settle  among  themselves;  and  this  pledge  was  well  kept 
ever  after,  and  they  were  always  friends. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

HOW   OTKDU,   RODE   OVER   GUNNAR. 

IT  happened  next  spring  that  Otkell  said  that  they 
would  ride  east  to  the  Dale,  to  pay  Runolf  a  visit,  and  all 
showed  themselves  well  pleased  at  that.  Skamkell  and 
his  two  brothers,  and  Audulf  and  three  men  more,  went 
along  with  Otkell.  Otkell  rode  one  of  the  dun  horses, 
but  the  other  ran  loose  by  his  side.  They  shaped  their 
course  east  towards  Markfleet;  and  now  Otkell  gallops 
ahead,  and  now  the  horses  race  against  each  other,  and 
they  break  away  from  the  path  up  towards  the  Fleetlithe. 

Now,  Otkell  goes  faster  than  he  wished,  and  it  hap- 
pened that  Gunnar  had  gone  away  from  home  out  of  his 
house  all  alone ;  and  he  had  a  corn-sieve  in  one  hand,  but 
in  the  other  a  hand-axe.  He  goes  down  to  his  seed  field 
and  sows  his  corn  there,  and  had  laid  his  cloak  of  fine 
stuff  and  his  axe  down  by  his  side,  and  so  he  sows  the 
corn  a  while. 

Now,  it  must  be  told  how  Otkell  rides  faster  than  he 
would.  He  had  spurs  on  his  feet,  and  so  he  gallops  down 

65 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

over  the  ploughed  field,  and  neither  of  them  sees  the 
other;  and  just  as  Gunnar  stands  upright,  Otkell  rides 
down  upon  him,  and  drives  one  of  the  spurs  into  Gun- 
nar's  ear,  and  gives  him  a  great  gash,  and  it  bleeds  at 
once  much. 

Just  then  Otkell's  companions  rode  up. 

"Ye  may  see,  all  of  you,"  says  Gunnar,  "that  thou 
hast  drawn  my  blood,  and  it  is  unworthy  to  go  on  so. 
First  thou  hast  summoned  me,  but  now  thou  treadest 
me  under  foot,  and  ridest  over  me." 

Skamkell  said,  "Well  it  was  no  worse,  master,  but  thou 
wast  not  one  whit  less  wroth  at  the  Thing,  when  thou 
tookest  the  selfdoom  and  clutchedst  thy  bill." 

Gunnar  said,  "When  we  two  next  meet  thou  shalt  see 
the  bill."  After  that  they  parted  thus,  and  Skamkell 
shouted  out  and  said,  "Ye  ride  hard,  lads !" 

Gunnar  went  home,  and  said  never  a  word  to  any  one 
about  what  had  happened,  and  no  one  thought  that  this 
wound  could  have  come  by  man's  doing. 

It  happened,  though,  one  day  that  he  told  it  to  his 
brother  Kolskegg,  and  Kolskegg  said — 

"This  thou  shalt  tell  to  more  men,  so  that  it  may  not 
be  said  that  thou  layest  blame  on  dead  men;  for  it  will 
be  gainsaid  if  witnesses  do  not  know  beforehand  what 
has  passed  between  you." 

Then  Gunnar  told  it  to  his  neighbours,  and  there  was 
little  talk  about  it  at  first. 

Otkell  comes  east  to  the  Dale,  and  they  get  a  hearty 
welcome  there,  and  sit  there  a  week. 

Skamkell   told   Runolf  all   about   their  meeting  with 

66 


THE  FIGHT  AT  RANGRIVER 

Gunnar,  and  how  it  had  gone  off;  and  one  man  had  hap- 
pened to  ask  how  Gunnar  behaved. 

"Why,"  said  Skamkell,  "if  it  were  a  low-born  man  it 
would  have  been  said  that  he  had  wept." 

"Such  things  are  ill  spoken,"  said  Runolf,  "and  when 
ye  two  next  meet,  thou  wilt  have  to  own  that  there  is  no 
voice  of  weeping  in  his  frame  of  mind ;  and  it  will  be  well 
if  better  men  have  not  to  pay  for  thy  spite.  Now  it 
seems  to  me  best  when  ye  wish  to  go  home  that  I  should 
go  with  you,  for  Gunnar  will  do  me  no  harm." 

"I  will  not  have  that,"  says  Otkell;  "but  I  will  ride 
across  the  Fleet  lower  down." 

Runolf  gave  Otkell  good  gifts,  and  said  they  should  not 
see  one  another  again. 

Otkell  bade  him  then  to  bear  his  sons  in  mind  if  things 
turned  out  so. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE   FIGHT   AT   RANGRIVER. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  Gunnar 
was  out  of  doors  at  Lithend,  and  sees  his  shepherd  gallop- 
ing up  to  the  yard.  The  shepherd  rode  straight  into  the 
"town;"  and  Gunnar  said,  "Why  ridest  thou  so  hard?" 

"I  would  be  faithful  to  thee,"  said  the  man;  "I  saw 
men  riding  down  along  Markfleet,  eight  of  them  together, 
and  four  of  them  were  in  coloured  clothes." 

Gunnar  said,  "That  must  be  Otkell." 

The  lad  said,  "I  have  often  heard  many  temper-try- 
ing words  of  Skamkell's ;  for  Skamkell  spoke  away  there 
East  at  Dale,  and  said  that  thou  sheddest  tears  when  they 

67 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

rode  over  thee ;  but  I  tell  it  thee  because  I  cannot  bear  to 
listen  to  such  speeches  of  worthless  men." 

"We  must  not  be  word-sick,"  says  Gunnar,  "but  from 
this  day  forth  thou  shalt  do  no  other  work  than  what 
thou  choosest  for  thyself." 

"Shall  I  say  aught  of  this  to  Kolskegg  thy  brother?" 
asked  the  shepherd. 

"Go  thou  and  sleep,"  says  Gunnar;  "I  will  tell  Kols- 
kegg." 

The  lad  laid  him  down  and  fell  asleep  at  once,  but 
Gunnar  took  the  shepherd's  horse  and  laid  his  saddle  on 
him;  he  took  his  shield  and  girded  him  with  his  sword, 
Oliver's  gift;  he  sets  his  helm  on  his  head;  takes  his  bill, 
and  something  sung  loud  in  it,  and  his  mother,  Rannveig, 
heard  it.  She  went  up  to  him  and  said,  "Wrathful  art 
thou  now,  my  son,  and  never  saw  I  thee  thus  before." 

Gunnar  goes  out,  and  drives  the  butt  of  his  spear  into 
the  earth,  and  throws  himself  into  the  saddle,  and  rides 
away. 

His  mother,  Rannveig,  went  into  the  sitting-room, 
where  there  was  a  great  noise  of  talking. 

"Ye  speak  loud,"  she  says,  "but  yet  the  bill  gave  a 
louder  sound  when  Gunnar  went  out." 

Kolskegg  heard  what  she  said,  and  spoke,  "This  beto- 
kens no  small  tidings." 

"That  is  well,"  says  Hallgerda,  "now  they  will  soon 
prove  whether  he  goes  away  from  them  weeping." 

Kolskegg  takes  his  weapons  and  seeks  him  a  horse,  and 
rides  after  Gunnar  as  fast  as  he  could. 

Gunnar  rides  across  Acretongue,  and  so  to  Geilastofna, 

68 


THE  FIGHT  AT  RANGRIVER 

and  thence  to  Rangriver,  and  down  the  stream  to  the 
ford  at  Hof.  There  were  some  women  at  the  milking- 
post  there.  Gunnar  jumped  off  his  horse  and  tied  him 
up.  By  this  time  the  others  were  riding  up  towards  him ; 
there  were  flat  stones  covered  with  mud  in  the  path  that 
led  down  to  the  ford. 

Gunnar  called  out  to  them  and  said,  "Now  is  the  time 
to  guard  yourselves;  here  now  is  the  bill,  and  here  now 
ye  will  put  it  to  the  proof  whether  I  shed  one  tear  for 
all  of  you." 

Then  they  all  of  them  sprang  off  their  horses'  backs 
and  made  towards  Gunnar.  Hallbjorn  was  the  foremost. 

"Do  not  thou  come  on,"  says  Gunnar ;  "thee  last  of  all 
would  I  harm ;  but  I  will  spare  no  one  if  I  have  to  fight 
for  my  life." 

"That  I  cannot  do,"  says  Hallbjorn;  "thou  wilt  strive 
to  kill  my  brother  for  all  that,  and  it  is  a  shame  if  I  sit 
idly  by."  And  as  he  said  this  he  thrust  at  Gunnar  with  a 
great  spear  which  he  held  in  both  hands. 

Gunnar  threw  his  shield  before  the  blow,  but  Hall- 
bjorn pierced  the  shield  through.  Gunnar  thrust  the  shield 
down  so  hard  that  it  stood  fast  in  the  earth,  but  he  bran- 
dished his  sword  so  quicky  that  no  eye  could  follow  it, 
and  he  made  a  blow  with  his  sword,  and  it  fell  on  Hall- 
bjorn's  arm  above  the  wrist,  so  that  it  cut  it  off. 

Skamkell  ran  behind  Gunnar's  back  and  makes  a  blow 
at  him  with  a  great  axe.  Gunnar  turned  short  round 
upon  him  and  parries  the  blow  with  the  bill,  and  caught 
the  axe  under  one  of  its  horns  with  such  a  wrench  that  it 
flew  out  of  Skamkell's  hand  away  into  the  river. 

69 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Gunnar  gives  another  thrust  with  his  bill,  and  through 
Skamkell,  and  lifts  him  up  and  casts  him  down  in  the 
muddy  path  on  his  head. 

Audulf  the  Easter  ling  snatches  up  a  spear  and  launches 
it  at  Gunnar.  Gunnar  caught  the  spear  with  his  hand  in 
the  air,  and  hurled  it  back  at  once,  and  it  flew  through 
the  shield  and  the  Easterling  too,  and  so  down  into  the 
earth. 

Otkell  smites  at  Gunnar  with  his  sword,  and  aims  at  his 
leg  just  below  the  knee,  but  Gunnar  leapt  up  into  the  air 
and  he  misses  him.  Then  Gunnar  thrusts  at  him  the  bill, 
and  the  blow  goes  through  him. 

Then  Kolskegg  comes  up,  and  rushes  at  once  at  Hall- 
kell  and  dealt  him  his  death-blow  with  his  short  sword. 
There  and  then  they  slay  eight  men. 

A  woman  who  saw  all  this,  ran  home  and  told  Mord, 
and  besought  him  to  part  them. 

"They  alone  will  be  there,"  he  says,  "of  whom  I  care 
not  though  they  slay  one  another." 

"Thou  canst  not  mean  to  say  that,"  she  says,  "for  thy 
kinsman  Gunnar,  and  thy  friend  Otkell  will  be  there." 

"Baggage  that  thou  art,"  he  says,  "thou  art  always 
chattering,"  and  so  he  lay  still  in-doors  while  they 
fought. 

Gunnar  and  Kolskegg  rode  home  after  this  work,  and 
they  rode  hard  up  along  the  river  bank,  and  Gunnar  slip- 
ped off  his  horse  and  came  down  on  his  feet. 

Then  Kolskegg  said,  "Hard  now  thou  ridest,  brother !" 

"Ay,"  said  Gunnar,  "that  was  what  Skamkell  said 
when  he  uttered  those  very  words  when  they  rode  over 
me."  ;o 


NJAL'S  ADVICE  TO  GUNNAR 

"Well!  thou  hast  avenged  that  now,"  says  Kolskegg. 

"I  would  like  to  know,"  says  Gunnar,  "whether  I  am 
by  so  much  the  less  brisk  and  bold  than  other  men,  be- 
cause I  think  more  of  killing  men  than  they?" 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

NJAI/S   ADVICE  TO  GUNNAR. 

Now  those  tidings  are  heard  far  and  wide,  and  many 
say  that  they  thought  they  had  not  happened  before  it 
was  likely.  Gunnar  rode  to  Bergthorsknoll  and  told  Njal 
of  these  deeds. 

Njal  said,  "Thou  hast  done  great  things,  but  thou  hast 
been  sorely  tried." 

"How  will  it  now  go  henceforth?"  says  Gunnar. 

"Wilt  thou  that  I  tell  thee  what  hath  not  yet  come  to 
pass?"  asks  Njal.  "Thou  wilt  ride  to  the  Thing,  and 
thou  wilt  abide  by  my  counsel  and  get  the  greatest  honour 
from  this  matter.  This  will  be  the  beginning  of  thy 
manslayings." 

"But  give  me  some  cunning  counsel,"  says  Gunnar. 

"I  will  do  that,"  says  Njal ;  "never  slay  more  than  one 
man  in  the  same  stock,  and  never  break  the  peace  which 
good  men  and  true  make  between  thee  and  others,  and 
least  of  all  in  such  a  matter  as  this." 

Gunnar  said,  "I  should  have  thought  there  was  more 
risk  of  that  with  others  than  with  me." 

"Like  enough,"  says  Njal,  "but  still  thou  shalt  so  think 
of  thy  quarrels  that,  if  that  should  come  to  pass  of  which 
I  have  warned  thee,  then  thou  wilt  have  but  a  little  while 
to  live ;  but  otherwise,  thou  wilt  come  to  be  an  old  man." 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Gunnar  said,  "Dost  thou  know  what  will  be  thine  own 
death?" 

"I  know  it,"  says  Njal. 

"What?"  asks  Gunnar. 

"That,"  says  Njal,  "which  all  would  be  the  last  to 
think."  After  that  Gunnar  rode  home. 

A  man  was  sent  to  Gizur  the  white  and  Geir  the  priest, 
for  they  had  the  blood-feud  after  Otkell.  Then  they  had 
a  meeting,  and  had  a  talk  about  what  was  to  be  done; 
and  they  were  of  one  mind  that  the  quarrel  should  be 
followed  up  at  law.  Then  some  one  was  sought  who 
would  take  the  suit  up,  but  no  one  was  ready  to  do  that. 

"It  seems  to  me,"  says  Gizur,  "that  now  there  are  only 
two  courses,  that  one  of  us  two  undertakes  the  suit,  and 
then  we  shall  have  to  draw  lots  who  it  shall  be,  or  else 
the  man  will  be  unatoned.  We  may  make  up  our  minds, 
too,  that  this  will  be  a  heavy  suit  to  touch;  Gunnar  has 
many  kinsmen  and  is  much  beloved;  but  that  one  of  us 
who  does  not  draw  the  lot  shall  ride  to  the  Thing  and 
never  leave  it  until  the  suit  comes  to  an  end." 

After  that  they  drew  lots,  and  Geir  the  priest  drew  the 
lot  to  take  up  the  suit. 

A  little  after,  they  rode  from  the  west  over  the  river, 
and  came  to  the  spot  where  the  meeting  had  been  by 
Rangriver,  and  dug  up  the  bodies,  and  took  witness  to 
the  wounds.  After  that  they  gave  lawful  notice  and 
summoned  nine  neighbours  to  bear  witness  in  the  suit. 

They  were  told  that  Gunnar  was  at  home  with  about 
thirty  men;  then  Geir  the  priest  asked  whether  Gizur 
would  ride  against  him  with  one  hundred  men: 

72 


GUNNAR  AND  GE1R  THE  PRIEST 

"I  will  not  do  that,"  says  he,  "though  the  balance  of 
force  is  great  on  our  side." 

After  that  they  rode  back  home.  The  news  that  the 
suit  was  set  on  foot  was  spread,  all  over  the  country,  and 
the  saying  ran  that  the  Thing  would  be  very  noisy  and 
stormy. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

GUNNAR  AND  GEIR  THE    PRIEST   STRIVE  AT   THE   THING. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Skapti.  He  was  the  son  of 
Thorod.  That  father  and  son  were  great  chiefs,  and  very 
well  skilled  in  law.  Thorod  was  thought  to  be  rather 
crafty  and  guileful.  They  stood  by  Gizur  the  white  in 
every  quarrel. 

As  for  the  Lithemen  and  the  dwellers  by  Rangriver, 
they  came  in  a  great  body  to  the  Thing.  Gunnar  was  so 
beloved  that  all  said  with  one  voice  that  they  would 
back  him. 

Now  they  all  come  to  the  Thing  and  fit  up  their  booths. 
In  company  with  Gizur  the  white  were  these  chiefs: 
Skapti  Thorod's  son,  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  Oddi  of 
Kidberg,  and  Halldor  Ornolf's  son. 

Now  one  day  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  then 
Geir  the  priest  stood  up  and  gave  notice  that  he  had  a 
suit  of  manslaughter  against  Gunnar  for  the  slaying  of 
Otkell.  Another  suit  of  manslaughter  he  brought  against 
Gunnar  for  the  slaying  of  Hallbjorn  the  white;  then  too 
he  went  on  in  the  same  way  as  to  the  slaying  of  Audulf, 
and  so  too  as  to  the  slaying  of  Skamkell.  Then  too  he 
laid  a  suit  of  manslaughter  against  Kolskegg  for  the 
slaving  of  Hallkell.  7_ 

8 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

And  when  he  had  given  due  notice  of  all  his  suits  of 
manslaughter  it  was  said  that  he  spoke  well.  He  asked, 
too,  in  what  Quarter  court  the  suits  lay,  and  in  what  house 
in  the  district  the  defendants  dwelt.  After  that  men  went 
away  from  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  so  the  Thing  goes  on 
till  the  day  when  the  courts  were  to  be  set  to  try  suits. 
Then  either  side  gathered  their  men  together  in  great 
strength. 

Geir  the  priest  and  Gizur  the  white  stood  at  the  court 
of  the  men  of  Rangriver  looking  north,  and  Gunnar  and 
Njal  stood  looking  south  towards  the  court. 

Geir  the  priest  bade  Gunnar  listen  to  his  oath,  and 
then  he  took  the  oath,  and  afterwards  declared  his  suit. 

Then  he  let  men  bear  witness  of  the  notice  given  of  the 
suit;  then  he  called  upon  the  neighbours  who  were  to 
form  the  inquest  to  take  their  seats;  then  he  called  on 
Gunnar  to  challenge  the  inquest ;  and  then  he  called  on  the 
inquest  to  utter  their  finding.  Then  the  neighbours  who 
were  summoned  on  the  inquest  went  to  the  court  and  took 
witness,  and  said  that  there  was  a  bar  to  their  finding 
in  the  suit  as  to  Audulf's  slaying,  because  the  next  of 
kin  who  ought  to  follow  it  up  was  in  Norway,  and  so 
they  had  nothing  to  do  with  that  suit. 

After  that  they  uttered  their  finding  in  the  suit  as  to 
Otkell,  and  brought  in  Gunnar  as  truly  guilty  of  killing 
him. 

Then  Geir  the  priest  called  on  Gunnar  for  his  defence, 
and  took  witness  of  all  the  steps  in  the  suit  which  had 
been  proved. 

Then  Gunnar,  in  his  turn,  called  on  Geir  the  priest  to 

74 


GUNNAR  AND  GEIR  THE  PRIEST 

listen  to  his  oath,  and  to  the  defence  which  he  was  about 
to  bring  forward  in  the  suit.  Then  he  took  the  oath  and 
said — 

"This  defence  I  make  to  this  suit,  that  I  took  witness 
and  outlawed  Otkell  before  my  neighbours  for  that 
bloody  wound  which  I  got  when  Otkell  gave  me  a  hurt 
with  his  spur ;  but  thee,  Geir  the  priest,  I  forbid  by  a  law- 
ful protest  made  before  a  priest  to  pursue  this  suit,  and 
so,  too,  I  forbid  the  judges  to  hear  it;  and  with  this  I 
make  all  the  steps  hitherto  taken  in  this  suit  void  and  of 
none-effect.  I  forbid  thee  by  a  lawful  protest,  a  full,  fair, 
and  binding  protest,  as  I  have  a  right  to  forbid  thee  by 
the  common  custom  of  the  Thing  and  by  the  law  of  the 
land. 

"Besides,  I  will  tell  thee  something  else  which  I  mean 
to  do,"  says  Gunnar. 

"What !"  says  Geir,  "wilt  thou  challenge  me  to  the  is- 
land as  thou  art  wont,  and  not  bear  the  law  ?" 

"Not  that,"  says  Gunnar ;  "I  shall  summon  thee  at  the 
Hill  of  Laws  for  that  thou  calledst  those  men  on  the  in- 
quest who  had  no  right  to  deal  with  Audulf  s  slaying,  and 
I  will  declare  thee  for  that  guilty  of  outlawry." 

Then  Njal  said,  "Things  must  not  take  this  turn,  for 
the  only  end  of  it  will  be  that  this  strife  will  be  carried 
to  the  uttermost.  Each  of  you,  as  it  seems  to  me,  has 
mucli  on  his  side.  There  are  some  of  these  manslaugh- 
ters, Gunnar,  about  which  thou  canst  say  nothing  to  hin- 
der the  court  from  finding  thee  guilty ;  but  thou  hast  set 
on  foot  a  suit  against  Geir,  in  which  he,  too,  must  be 
found  guilty.  Thou  too,  Geir  the  priest,  shall  know  that 

75 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

this  suit  of  outlawry  which  hangs  over  thee  shall  not  fall 
to  the  ground  if  thou  wilt  not  listen  to  my  words." 

Thorod  the  priest  said,  "It  seems  to  us  as  though  the 
most  peaceful  way  would  be  that  a  settlement  and  atone- 
ment were  come  to  in  the  suit.  But  why  sayest  thou  so 
little,  Gizur  the  white?" 

"It  seems  to  me,"  says  Gizur,  "as  though  we  shall  need 
to  have  strong  props  for  our  suit ;  we  may  see,  too,  that 
Gunnar's  friends  stand  near  him,  and  so  the  best  turn 
for  us  that  things  can  take  will  be  that  good  men  and 
true  should  utter  an  award  on  the  suit,  if  Gunnar  wills  it." 

"I  have  ever  been  willing  to  make  matters  up,"  says 
Gunnar;  "and,  besides,  ye  have  much  wrong  to  follow 
up,  but  still  I  think  I  was  hard  driven  to  do  as  I  did." 

And  now  the  end  of  those  suits  was,  by  the  counsel  of 
the  wisest  men,  that  all  the  suits  were  put  to  arbitration ; 
six  men  were  to  make  this  award,  and  it  was  uttered  there 
and  then  at  the  Thing. 

The  award  was  that  Skamkell  should  be  unatoned.  The 
blood  money  for  Otkell's  death  was  to  be  set  off  against 
the  hurt  Gunnar  got  from  the  spur;  and  as  for  the  rest 
of  the  manslaughters,  they  were  paid  for  after  the  worth 
of  the  men,  and  Gunnar's  kinsmen  gave  money  so  that  all 
the  fines  might  be  paid  up  at  the  Thing. 

Then  Geir  the  priest  and  Gizur  the  white  went  up  and 
gave  Gunnar  pledges  they  would  keep  peace  in  good  faith. 

Gunnar  rode  home  from  the  Thing,  and  thanked  men 
for  their  help,  and  gave  gifts  to  many,  and  got  the 
greatest  honour  from  the  suit. 

Now  Gunnar  sits  at  home  in  his  honour. 

76 


OF  STARKAD  AND  HIS  SONS 
CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Of  STARKAD  AND  HIS  SONS. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Starkad;  he  was  a  son  of 
Bork  the  waxytoothed-blade,  the  son  of  Thorkell  club- 
foot,  who  took  the  land  round  about  Threecorner  as  the 
first  settler.  His  wife's  name  was  Hallbera.  The  sons 
of  Starkad  and  Hallbera  were  these :  Thorgeir  and  Bork 
and  Thorkell.  Hildigunna  the  leech  was  their  sister. 

They  were  very  proud  men  in  temper,  hard-hearted  and 
unkind.  They  treated  men  wrongfully. 

There  was  a  man  named  Egil;  he  was  a  son  of  Kol, 
who  took  land  as  a  settler  between  Storlek  and  Reydwater. 
The  brother  of  Egil  was  Aunund  of  Witchwood,  father 
of  Hall  the  strong,  who  was  at  the  slaying  of  Holt-Thorir 
with  the  sons  of  Kettle  the  smooth-tongued. 

Egil  kept  house  at  Sandgil ;  his  sons  were  these :  Kol 
and  Ottar  and  Hauk.  Their  mother's  name  was  Stein- 
vor;  she  was  Starkad's  sister. 

Egil's  sons  were  tall  and  strifeful ;  they  were  most  un- 
fair men.  They  were  always  on  one  side  with  Starkad's 
sons.  Their  sister  was  Gudruna  nightsun,  and  she  was 
the  best-bred  of  women. 

Egil  had  taken  into  his  house  two  Easterlings ;  the  one's 
name  was  Thorir  and  the  other's  Thorgrim.  They  were 
not  long  come  out  hither  for  the  first  time,  and  were 
wealthy  and  beloved  by  their  friends;  they  were  well 
skilled  in  arms,  too,  and  dauntless  in  everything. 

Starkad  had  a  good  horse  of  chestnut  hue,  and  it  was 
thought  that  no  horse  was  his  match  in  fight.  Once  it 

77 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

happened  that  these  brothers  from  Sandgil  were  away  un- 
der the  Threecorner.  They  had  much  gossip  about  all 
the  householders  in  the  Fleetlithe,  and  they  fell  at  last  to 
asking  whether  there  was  any  one  that  would  fight  a 
horse  against  them. 

But  there  were  some  men  there  who  spoke  so  as  to 
flatter  and  honour  them,  that  not  only  was  there  no  one 
who  would  dare  do  that,  but  that  there  was  no  one  that 
had  such  a  horse. 

Then  Hildigunna  answered,  "I  know  that  man  who 
will  dare  to  fight  horses  with  you." 

"Name  him,"  they  say. 

"Gunnar  has  a  brown  horse,"  she  says,  "and  he  will 
dare  to  fight  his  horse  against  you,  and  against  any  one 
else." 

"As  for  you  women,"  they  say,  "you  think  no  one  can 
be  Gunnar's  match;  but  though  Geir  the  priest  or  Gizur 
the  white  have  come  off  with  shame  from  before  him, 
still  it  is  not  settled  that  we  shall  fare  in  the  same  way." 

"Ye  will  fare  much  worse,"  she  says;  and  so  there 
arose  out  of  this  the  greatest  strife  between  them.  Then 
Starkad  said — 

"My  will  is  that  ye  try  your  hands  on  Gunnar  last  of 
all ;  for  ye  will  find  it  hard  work  to  go  against  his  good 
luck." 

"Thou  wilt  give  us  leave,  though,  to  offer  him  a  horse- 
fight?" 

"I  will  give  you  leave,  if  ye  play  him  no  trick." 

They  said  they  would  be  sure  to  do  what  their  father 
said. 

78 


OF  STARKAD  AND  HIS  SONS 

Now  they  rode  to  Lithend ;  Gunnar  was  at  home,  and 
went  out,  and  Kolskegg  and  Hjort  went  with  him,  and 
they  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome,  and  asked  whither 
they  meant  to  go? 

"No  farther  than  hither,"  they  say.  "We  are  told  that 
thou  hast  a  good  horse,  and  we  wish  to  challenge  thee  to 
a  horse-fight." 

"Small  stories  can  go  about  my  horse,"  says  Gunnar; 
"he  is  young  and  untried  in  every  way." 

"But  still  thou  wilt  be  good  enough  to  have  the  fight, 
for  Hildigunna  guessed  that  thou  wouldst  be  easy  in 
matching  thy  horse." 

"How  came  ye  to  talk  about  that?"  says  Gunnar. 

"There  were  some  men,"  say  they,  "who  were  sure 
that  no  one  would  dare  to  fight  his  horse  with  ours." 

"I  would  dare  to  fight  him,"  says  Gunnar ;  "but  I  think 
that  was  spitefully  said." 

"Shall  we  look  upon  the  match  as  made,  then?"  they 
asked. 

"Well,  your  journey  will  seem  to  you  better  if  ye  have 
your  way  in  this ;  but  still  I  will  beg  this  of  you,  that  we 
so  fight  our  horses  that  we  make  sport  for  each  other, 
but  that  no  quarrel  may  arise  from  it,  and  that  ye  put  no 
shame  upon  me;  but  if  ye  do  to  me  as  ye  do  to  others, 
then  there  will  be  no  help  for  it  but  that  I  shall  give  you 
such  a  buffet  as  it  will  seem  hard  to  you  to  put  up  with. 
In  a  word,  I  shall  do  then  just  as  ye  do  first" 

Then  they  ride  home.  Starkad  asked  how  their  jour- 
ney had  gone  off;  they  said  that  Gunnar  had  made  their 
going  good. 

79 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"He  gave  his  word  to  fight  his  horse,  and  we  settled 
when  and  where  the  horse-fight  should  be;  but  it  was 
plain  in  everything  that  he  thought  he  fell  short  of  us, 
and  he  begged  and  prayed  to  get  off." 

"It  will  often  be  found,"  says  Hildigunna,  "that  Gun- 
nar  is  slow  to  be  drawn  into  quarrels,  but  a  hard  hitter 
if  he  cannot  avoid  them." 

Gunnar  rode  to  see  Njal,  and  told  him  of  the  horse- 
fight,  and  what  words  had  passed  between  them.  "But 
how  dost  thou  think  the  horse-fight  will  turn  out?" 

"Thou  wilt  be  uppermost,"  says  Njal,  "but  yet  many 
a  man's  bane  will  arise  out  of  this  fight." 

"Will  my  bane  perhaps  come  out  of  it?"  asks  Gunnar. 

"Not  out  of  this,"  says  Njal ;  "but  still  they  will  bear 
in  mind  both  the  old  and  the  new  feud  who  fare  against 
thee,  and  thou  wilt  have  naught  left  for  it  but  to  yield." 

Then  Gunnar  rode  home. 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
HOW  GUNNAR'S  HORSE  FOUGHT. 

JUST  then  Gunnar  heard  of  the  death  of  his  father-in- 
law  Hauskuld;  a  few  nights  after,  Thorgerda,  Thrain's 
wife,  was  delivered  at  Gritwater,  and  gave  birth  to  a  boy 
child.  Then  she  sent  a  man  to  her  mother,  and  bade  her 
choose  whether  it  should  be  called  Glum  or  Hauskuld. 
She  bade  call  it  Hauskuld.  So  that  name  was  given  to 
the  boy. 

Gunnar  and  Hallgerda  had  two  sons,  the  one's  name 
was  Hogni  and  the  other's  Grani.  Hogni  was  a  brave 
man  of  few  words,  distrustful  and  slow  to  believe,  but 
truthful,  - 


HOW  GUNNAR'S  HORSE  FOUGHT 

Now  men  ride  to  the  horse-fight,  and  a  very  great 
crowd  is  gathered  together  there.  Gunnar  was  there  and 
his  brothers,  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus.  Njal  and  all  his 
sons.  There,  too,  was  come  Starkad  and  his  sons,  and 
Egil  and  his  sons,  and  they  said  to  Gunnar  that  now  they 
would  lead  the  horses  together. 

Gunnar  said,  "That  was  well." 

Skarphedinn  said,  "Wilt  thou  that  I  drive  thy  horse, 
kinsman  Gunnar?" 

"I  will  not  have  that,"  says  Gunnar. 

"It  wouldn't  be  amiss  though,"  says  Skarphedinn;  "we 
are  hot-headed  on  both  sides." 

"Ye  would  say  or  do  little,"  says  Gunnar,  "before  a 
quarrel  would  spring  up ;  but  with  me  it  will  take  longer, 
though  it  will  be  all  the  same  in  the  end." 

Aftei  that  the  horses  were  led  together ;  Gunnar  busked 
him  to  drive  his  horse,  but  Skarphedinn  led  him  out. 
Gunnar  was  in  a  red  kirtle,  and  had  about  his  loins  a 
broad  belt,  and  a  great  riding-rod  in  his  hand. 

Then  the  horses  run  at  one  another,  and  bit  each  other 
long,  so  that  there  was  no  need  for  any  one  to  touch 
them,  and  that  was  the  greatest  sport. 

Then  Thorgeir  and  Kol  made  up  their  minds  that  they 
would  push  their  horse  forward  just  as  the  horses  rushed 
together,  and  see  if  Gunnar  would  fall  before  him. 

Now  the  horses  ran  at  one  another  again,  and  both 
Thorgeir  and  Kol  ran  alongside  their  horse's  flank. 

Gunnar  pushes  his  horse  against  them,  and  what  hap- 
pened in  a  trice  was  this,  that  Thorgeir  and  his  brother 
fall  down  flat  on  their  backs,  and  their  horse  a-top  of 
them. 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  they  spring  up  and  rush  at  Gunnar.  Gunnar 
swings  himself  free  and  seizes  Kol,  casts  him  down  on  the 
field,  so  that  he  lies  senseless.  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son 
smote  Gunnar's  horse  such  a  blow  that  one  of  his  eyes 
started  out.  Gunnar  smote  Thorgeir  with  his  riding-rod, 
and  down  falls  Thorgeir  senseless;  but  Gunnar  goes  to 
his  horse,  and  said  to  Kolskegg,  ''Cut  off  the  horse's  head; 
he  shall  not  live  a  maimed  and  blemished  beast." 

So  Kolskegg  cut  the  head  off  the  horse. 

Then  Thorgeir  got  on  his  feet  and  took  his  weapons, 
and  wanted  to  fly  at  Gunnar,  but  that  was  stopped,  and 
there  was  a  great  throng  and  crush. 

Skarphedinn  said,  "This  crowd  wearies  me,  and  it  is 
far  more  manly  that  men  should  fight  it  out  with  weap- 
ons." 

Gunnar  was  still,  so  that  one  man  held  him,  and  spoke 
no  ill  words. 

Njal  tried  to  bring  about  a  settlement,  or  to  get  pledges 
of  peace;  but  Thorgeir  said  he  would  neither  give  nor 
take  peace;  far  rather,  he  said,  would  he  see  Gunnar  dead 
for  the  blow. 

Kolskegg  said,  "Gunnar  has  before  now  stood  too  fast 
than  that  he  should  have  fallen  for  words  alone,  and  so 
it  will  be  again." 

Now  men  ride  away  from  the  horse-field,  every  one  to 
his  home.  They  make  no  attack  on  Gunnar,  and  so  that 
half-year  passed  away.  At  the  Thing,  the  summer  after, 
Gunnar  met  Olaf  the  peacock,  his  cousin,  and  he  asked 
him  to  come  and  see  him,  but  yet  bade  him  beware  of 
himself;  "for,"  says  he,  "they  will  do  us  all  the  harm  they 

82 


OF  ASGRIM  AND  WOLF  UGGIS'  SON 

can,  and  mind  and  fare  always  with  many  men  at  thy 
back." 

He  gave  him  much  good  counsel  beside,  and  they 
agreed  that  there  should  be  the  greatest  friendship  be- 
tween them. 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

OF  ASGRIM  AND  WOLF  UGGIS'  SON. 

ASGRIM  Ellidagrim's  son  had  a  suit  to  follow  up  at  the 
Thing  against  Wolf  Uggis'  son.  It  was  a  matter  of  in- 
heritance. Asgrim  took  it  up  in  such  a  way  as  was  sel- 
dom his  wont ;  for  there  was  a  bar  to  his  suit,  and  the  bar 
was  this,  that  he  had  summoned  five  neighbours  to  bear 
witness,  when  he  ought  to  have  summoned  nine.  And 
now  they  have  this  as  their  bar. 

Then  Gunnar  spoke  and  said,  "I  will  challenge  thee  to 
single  combat  on  the  island,  Wolf  Uggis'  son,  if  men  are 
not  to  get  their  rights  by  law;  and  Njal  and  my  friend 
Helgi  would  like  that  I  should  take  some  share  in  de- 
fending thy  cause,  Asgrim,  if  they  were  not  here  them- 
selves." 

"But,"  says  Wolf,  "this  quarrel  is  not  one  between  thee 
and  me." 

"Still  it  shall  be  as  good  as  though  it  were,"  says  Gun- 
nar. 

And  the  end  of  the  suit  was,  that  Wolf  had  to  pay 
down  all  the  money. 

Then  Asgrim  said  to  Gunnar,  "I  will  ask  thee  to  come 
and  see  me  this  summer,  and  I  will  ever  be  with  thee  in 
lawsuits,  and  never  against  thee." 

83 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Gunnar  rides  home  from  the  Thing,  and  a  little  while 
after,  he  and  Njal  met.  Njal  besought  Gunnar  to  be 
ware  of  himself,  and  said  he  had  been  told  that  those 
away  under  the  Threecorner  meant  to  fall  on  him,  and 
bade  him  never  go  about  with  a  small  company,  and  al- 
ways to  have  his  weapons  with  him.  Gunnar  said  so  it 
should  be,  and  told  him  that  Asgrim  had  asked  him  to 
pay  him  a  visit,  "and  I  mean  to  go  now  this  harvest." 

"Let  no  men  know  before  thou  farest  how  long  thou 
wilt  be  away,"  said  Njal;  "but,  besides,  I  beg  thee  to  let 
my  sons  ride  with  thee,  and  then  no  attack  will  be  made 
on  thee." 

So  they  settled  that  among  themselves. 

Now  the  summer  wears  away  till  it  was  eight  weeks 
to  winter,  and  then  Gunnar  says  to  Kolskegg,  "Make  thee 
ready  to  ride,  for  we  shall  ride  to  a  feast  at  Tongue." 

"Shall  we  say  anything  about  it  to  Njal's  sons?"  said 
Kolskegg. 

"No,"  says  Gunnar;  "they  shall  fall  into  no  quarrels 
for  me." 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

AN  ATTACK  AGAINST  GUNNAR  AGREED  ON. 

THEY  rode  three  together,  Gunnar  and  his  brothers. 
Gunnar  had  the  bill  and  his  sword,  Oliver's  gift;  but 
Kolskegg  had  his  short  sword;  Hjort,  too,  had  proper 
weapons. 

Now  they  rode  to  Tongue,  and  Asgrim  gave  them  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  they  were  there  some  while.  At  last 
they  gave  it  out  that  they  meant  to  go  home  there  and 

84 


AN  ATTACK  AGAINST  GUNNAR 

then.  Asgrim  gave  them  good  gifts,  and  offered  to  ride 
east  with  them,  but  Gunnar  said  there  was  no  need  of  any 
such  thing;  and  so  he  did  not  go. 

Sigurd  Swinehead  was  the  name  of  a  man  who  dwelt 
by  Thurso  water.  He  came  to  the  farm  under  the  Three- 
corner,  for  he  had  given  his  word  to  keep  watch  on  Gun- 
nar's  doings,  and  so  he  went  and  told  them  of  his  jour- 
ney home;  "and,"  quoth  he,  "there  could  never  be  a  finer 
chance  than  just  now,  when  he  has  only  two  men  with 
him." 

"How  many  men  shall  we  need  to  have  to  lie  in  wait 
for  him?"  says  Starkad. 

"Weak  men  shall  be  as  nothing  before  him/'  he  says; 
"and  it  is  not  safe  to  have  fewer  than  thirty  men." 

"Where  shall  we  lie  in  wait?" 

"By  Knafahills,"  he  says ;  "there  he  will  not  see  us  be- 
fore he  comes  on  us." 

"Go  thou  to  Sandgil  and  tell  Egil  that  fifteen  of  them 
must  busk  themselves  thence,  and  now  other  fifteen  will 
go  hence  to  Knafahills." 

Thorgeir  said  to  Hildigunna,  "This  hand  shall  show 
thee  Gunnar  dead  this  very  night." 

"Nay,  but  I  guess,"  says  she,  "that  thou  wilt  hang  thy 
head  after  ye  two  meet." 

So  those  four,  father  and  sons,  fare  away  from  the 
Threecorner,  and  eleven  men  besides,  and  they  fared  to 
Knafahills,  and  lay  in  wait  there. 

Sigurd  Swinehead  came  to  Sandgil  and  said,  "Hither 
am  I  sent  by  Starkad  and  his  sons  to  tell  thee,  Egil, 
that  ye,  father  and  sons,  must  fare  to  Knafahills  to  lie  in 
wait  for  Gunnar."  - 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"How  many  shall  we  fare  in  all?"  says  Egil. 

"Fifteen,  reckoning  me,"  he  says. 

Kol  said,  "Now  I  mean  to  try  my  hand  on  Kolskegg." 

"Then  I  think  thou  meanest  to  have  a  good  deal  on 
thy  hands,"  says  Sigurd. 

Egil  begged  his  Easterlings  to  fare  with  them.  They 
said  they  had  no  quarrel  with  Gunnar;  "and  besides," 
says  Thorir,  "ye  seem  to  need  much  help  here,  when  a 
crowd  of  men  shall  go  against  three  men." 

Then  Egil  went  away  and  was  wroth. 

Then  the  mistress  of  the  house  said  to  the  Easterling: 
"In  an  evil  hour  hath  my  daughter  Gudruna  humbled  her- 
self and  broken  the  point  of  her  maidenly  pride,  and  lain 
by  thy  side  as  thy  wife,  when  thou  wilt  not  dare  to  follow 
thy  father-in-law,  and  thou  must  be  a  coward,"  she  says. 

"I  will  go,"  he  says,  "with  thy  husband,  and  neither  of 
us  two  shall  come  back." 

After  that  he  went  to  Thorgrim  his  messmate,  and  said, 
"Take  thou  now  the  keys  of  my  chests ;  for  I  shall  never 
unlock  them  again.  I  bid  thee  take  for  thine  own  what- 
ever of  our  goods  thou  wilt ;  but  sail  away  from  Iceland, 
and  do  not  think  of  revenge  for  me.  But  if  thou  dost 
not  leave  the  land,  it  will  be  thy  death." 

So  the  Easterling  joined  himself  to  their  band. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
GUNNAR'S  DR^AM. 

Now  we  must  go  back  and  say  that  Gunnar  rides  east 
over  Thurso  water,  but  when  he  had  gone  a  little  way 
from  the  river  he  grew  very  drowsy,  and  bade  them  lie 
down  and  rest  there. 


GUNNAR'S  DREAM 

They  did  so.  He  fell  fast  asleep,  and  struggled  much 
as  he  slumbered. 

Then  Kolskegg  said,  "Gunnar  dreams  now."  But 
Hjort  said,  "I  would  like  to  wake  him." 

"That  shall  not  be,"  said  Kolskegg,  "but  he  shall 
dream  his  dream  out." 

Gunnar  lay  a  very  long  while,  and  threw  off  his  shield 
from  him,  and  he  grew  very  warm.  Kolskegg  said, 
"What  hast  thou  dreamt,  kinsman?" 

"That  have  I  dreamt,"  says  Gunnar,  "which  if  I  had 
dreamt  it  there  I  would  never  have  ridden  with  so  few 
men  from  Tongue." 

"Tell  us  thy  dream,"  says  Kolskegg. 

"I  dreamt,  methought,  that  I  was  riding  on  by  Knaf- 
ahills,  and  there  I  thought  I  saw  many  wolves,  and  they 
all  made  at  me;  but  I  turned  away  from  them  straight 
towards  Rangriver,  and  then  methought  they  pressed 
hard  on  me  on  all  sides,  but  I  kept  them  at  bay,  and  shot 
at  all  those  that  were  foremost,  till  they  came  so  close  to 
me  that  I  could  not  use  my  bow  against  them.  Then  I 
took  my  sword,  and  I  smote  with  it  with  one  hand,  but 
thrust  at  them  with  my  bill  with  the  other.  Shield  myself 
then  I  did  not,  and  methought  then  I  knew  not  what 
shielded  me.  Then  I  slew  many  wolves,  and  thou,  too, 
Kolskegg;  but  Hjort  methought  they  pulled  down,  and 
tore  open  his  breast,  and  one  methought  had  his  heart  in 
his  maw;  but  I  grew  so  wroth  that  I  hewed  that  wolf 
asunder  just  below  the  brisket,  and  after  that  methought 
the  wolves  turned  and  fled.  Now  my  counsel  is,  brother 
Hjort,  that  thou  ridest  back  west  to  Tongue." 

87 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  will  not  do  that,"  says  Hjort,  "though  I  know  my 
death  is  sure,  I  will  stand  by  thee  still." 

Then  they  rode  and  came  east  by  Knafahills,  and  Kols- 
kegg said — 

"Seest  thou,  kinsman!  many  spears  stand  up  by  the 
hills,  and  men  with  weapons." 

"It  does  not  take  me  unawares,"  says  Gunnar,  "that  my 
dream  comes  true." 

"What  is  best  to  be  done  now?"  says  Kolskegg;  "I 
guess  thou  wilt  not  run  away  from  them." 

"They  shall  not  have  that  to  jeer  about,"  says  Gunnar, 
"but  we  will  ride  on  down  to  the  ness  by  Rangriver; 
there  is  some  vantage  ground  there." 

Now  they  rode  on  to  the  ness,  and  made  them  ready 
there,  and  as  they  rode  on  past  them  Kol  called  out  and 
said — 

"Whither  art  thou  running  to  now,  Gunnar?" 

But  Kolskegg  said,  "Say  the  same  thing  farther  on 
when  this  day  has  come  to  an  end." 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  HJORT  AND  FOURTEEN  MEN. 

AFTER  that  Starkad  egged  on  his  men,  and  then  they 
turn  down  upon  them  into  the  ness.  Sigurd  Swinehead 
came  first  and  had  a  red  targe,  but  in  his  other  hand  he 
held  a  cutlass.  Gunnar  sees  him  and  shoots  an  arrow  at 
him  from  his  bow;  he  held  the  shield  up  aloft  when  he 
saw  the  arrow  flying  high,  and  the  shaft  passes  through 
the  shield  and  into  his  eye,  and  so  came  out  at  the  nape 
of  his  neck,  and  that  was  the  first  man  slain. 


A  second  arrow  Gunnar  shot  at  Ulfhedinn,  one  of 
Starkad's  men,  and  that  struck  him  about  the  middle 
and  he  fell  at  the  feet  of  a  yeoman,  and  the  yeoman 
over  him.  Kolskegg  cast  a  stone  and  struck  the  yeoman 
on  the  head,  and  that  was  his  deathblow. 

Then  Starkad  said,  "  'Twill  never  answer  our  end  that 
he  should  use  his  bow,  but  let  us  come  on  well  and 
stoutly."  Then  each  man  egged  on  the  other,  and  Gunnar 
guarded  himself  with  his  bow  and  arrows  as  long  as  he 
could ;  after  that  he  throws  them  down,  and  then  he  takes 
his  bill  and  sword  and  fights  with  both  hands.  There  is 
long  the  hardest  fight,  but  still  Gunnar  and  Kolskegg 
slew  man  after  man. 

Then  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  said,  "I  vowed  to  bring 
Hildigunna  thy  head,  Gunnar." 

"She  will  not  think  that  so  much  worth  having,"  says 
Gunnar;  "but  still  to  get  it  thou  wilt  have  to  come 
nearer !" 

Thorgeir  said  to  his  brothers — 

"Let  us  run  all  of  us  upon  him  at  once;  he  has  no 
shield  and  we  shall  have  his  life  in  our  hands." 

So  Bork  and  Thorkel  both  ran  forward  and  were 
quicker  than  Thorgeir.  Bork  made  a  blow  at  Gunnar, 
and  Gunnar  threw  his  bill  so  hard  in  the  way  that  the 
sword  flew  out  of  Bork's  hand;  then  he  sees  Thorkel 
standing  on  his  other  hand  within  stroke  of  sword.  Gun- 
nar was  standing  with  his  body  swayed  a  little  on  one  side, 
and  he  makes  a  sweep  with  his  sword,  and  caught  Thor- 
kel on  the  neck,  and  off  flew  his  head. 

Kol  Egil's  son  said,  "Let  me  get  at  Kolskegg,"  and 

89 


STORY  OF  &URNT  NJAL 

turning  to  Kolskegg  he  said,  "This  I  have  often  said,  that 
we  two  would  be  just  about  an  even  match  in  fight." 

"That  we  can  soon  prove,"  said  Kolskegg. 

Kol  thrust  at  him  with  his  spear;  Kolskegg  had  just 
slain  a  man  and  had  his  hands  full,  and  so  he  could  not 
throw  his  shield  before  the  blow,  and  the  thrust  came 
upon  his  thigh,  on  the  outside  of  the  limb  and  went 
through  it. 

Kolskegg  turned  sharp  round,  and  strode  towards  him, 
and  smote  him  with  his  short  sword  on  the  thigh,  and 
cut  off  his  leg,  and  said,  "Did  it  touch  thee  or  not?" 

"Now,"  says  Kol,  "I  pay  for  being  bare  of  my  shield." 

So  he  stood  a  while  on  his  other  leg  and  looked  at  the 
stump. 

"Thou  needest  not  to  look  at  it,"  said  Kolskegg ;  "  'tis 
even  as  thou  seest,  the  leg  is  off." 

Then  Kol  fell  down  dead. 

But  when  Egil  sees  this,  he  runs  at  Ounnar  and  makes 
a  cut  at  him ;  Gunnar  thrusts  at  him  with  the  bill  and 
struck  him  in  the  middle,  and  Gunnar  hoists  him  up  on 
the  bill  and  hurls  him  out  into  Rangriver. 

Then  Starkad  said,  "Wretch  that  thou  art  indeed, 
Thorir  Easterling,  when  thou  sittest  by ;  but  thy  host  and 
father-in-law  Egil  is  slain." 

Then  the  Easterling  sprung  up  and  was  very  wroth. 
Hjort  had  been  the  death  of  two  men,  and  the  Easterling 
leapt  on  him  and  smote  him  full  on  the  breast.  Then 
Hjort  fell  down  dead  on  the  spot. 

Gunnar  sees  this  and  was  swift  to  smite  at  the  Easter- 
ling, and  cuts  him  asunder  at  the  waist. 

90 


NJAL'S  COUNSEL  TO  GUNNAR 

A  little  while  after  Gunnar  hurls  the  bill  at  Bork,  and 
struck  him  in  the  middle,  and  the  bill  went  through  him 
and  stuck  in  the  ground. 

Then  Kolskegg  cut  off  Hauk  Egil's  son's  head,  and 
Gunnar  smites  off  Otter's  hand  at  the  elbow-joint.  Then 
Starkad  said  — 

"Let  us  fly  now.     We  have  not  to  do  with  men!" 

Gunnar  said,  "Ye  two  will  think  it  a  sad  story  if  there 
is  naught  on  you  to  show  that  ye  have  both  been  in  the 
battle." 

Then  Gunnar  ran  after  Starkad  and  Thorgeir,  and 
gave  them  each  a  wound.  After  that  they  parted;  and 
Gunnar  and  his  brothers  had  then  wounded  many  men 
who  got  away  from  the  field,  but  fourteen  lost  their  lives, 
and  Hjort  the  fifteenth. 

Gunnar  brought  Hjort  home,  laid  out  on  his  shield, 
and  he  was  buried  in  a  cairn  there.  Many  men  grieved 
for  him,  for  he  had  many  dear  friends. 

Starkad  came  home,  too,  and  Hildigunna  dressed  his 
wounds  and  Thorgeir's,  and  said,  "Ye  would  have  given 
a  great  deal  not  to  have  fallen  out  with  Gunnar." 

"So  we  would,"  says  Starkad. 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
NJAL'S  COUNSEL  TO  GUNNAR. 

STEINVOR,  at  Sandgil,  besought  Thorgrim  the  Easter- 
ling  to  take  in  hand  the  care  of  her  goods,  and  not  to  sail 
away  from  Iceland,  and  so  to  keep  in  mind  the  death  of 
his  messmate  and  kinsman. 

"My  messmate  Thorir,"  said  he,  "foretold  that  I  should 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

fall  by  Gunnars  hand  if  I  stayed  here  in  the  land,  and 
he  must  have  foreseen  that  when  he  foreknew  his  own 
death." 

"I  will  give  thee,"  she  says,  "Gudruna  my  daughter  to 
wife,  and  all  my  goods  into  the  bargain." 

"I  knew  not,"  he  said,  "that  thou  wouldst  pay  such  a 
long  price." 

After  that  they  struck  the  bargain  that  he  shall  have 
her,  and  the  wedding  feast  was  to  be  the  next  summer. 

Now  Gunnar  rides  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  Kolskegg 
with  him.  Njal  was  out  of  doors  and  his  sons,  and  they 
went  to  meet  Gunnar  and  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome. 
After  that  they  fell  a-talking,  and  Gunnar  said — 

"Hither  am  I  come  to  seek  good  counsel  and  help  at 
thy  hand." 

"That  is  thy  due,"  said  Njal. 

"I  have  fallen  into  a  great  strait,"  says  Gunnar,  "and 
slain  many  men,  and  I  wish  to  know  what  thou  wilt  make 
of  the  matter?" 

"Many  will  say  this,"  said  Njal,  "that  thou  hast  been 
driven  into  it  much  against  thy  will ;  but  now  thou  shalt 
give  me  time  to  take  counsel  with  myself." 

Then  Njal  went  away  all  by  himself,  and  thought  over 
a  plan,  and  came  back  and  said — 

"Now  have  I  thought  over  the  matter  somewhat,  and 
it  seems  to  me  as  though  this  must  be  carried  through — if 
it  be  carried  through  at  all — with  hardihood  and  daring. 
Thorgeir  has  got  my  kinswoman  Thorfinna  with  child, 
and  I  will  hand  over  to  thee  the  suit  for  seduction. 
Another  suit  of  outlawry  against  Starkad  I  hand  over 

92 


OF  VALGARD  AND  MORD 

also  to  thee,  for  having  hewn  trees  in  my  wood  on  the 
Threecorner  ridge.  Both  these  suits  shalt  thou  take  up. 
Thou  shalt  fare  too  to  the  spot  where  ye  fought,  and  dig 
up  the  dead,  and  name  witnesses  to  the  wounds,  and  make 
all  the  dead  outlaws,  for  that  they  came  against  thee  with 
that  mind  to  give  thee  and  thy  brothers  wounds  or  swift 
death.  But  if  this  be  tried  at  the  Thing,  and  it  be  brought 
up  against  thee  that  thou  first  gave  Thorgeir  a  blow,  and 
so  mayest  neither  plead  thine  own  cause  nor  that  of  others, 
then  I  will  answer  in  that  matter,  and  say  that  I  gave 
thee  back  thy  rights  at  the  Thingskala-Thing,  so  that 
thou  shouldest  be  able  to  plead  thine  own  suit  as  well  as 
that  of  others,  and  then  there  will  be  an  answer  to  that 
point.  Thou  shalt  also  go  to  see  Tyrfing  of  Berianess, 
and  he  must  hand  over  to  thee  a  suit  against  Aunund  of 
Witchwood,  who  has  the  blood  feud  after  his  brother 
Egil." 

Then  first  of  all  Gunnar  rode  home;  but  a  few  nights 
after  Njal's  sons  and  Gunnar  rode  thither  where  the 
bodies  were,  and  dug  them  up  that  were  buried  there. 
Then  Gunnar  summoned  them  all  as  outlaws  for  assault 
and  treachery,  and  rode  home  after  that. 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

OP  VALGARD  AND  MORD. 

THAT  same  harvest  Valgard  the  guileful  came  out  to 
Iceland,  and  fared  home  to  Hof.  Then  Thorgeir  went  to 
see  Valgard  and  Mord,  and  told  them  what  a  strait  they 
were  in  if  Gunnar  were  to  be  allowed  to  make  all  those 
men  outlaws  whom  he  had  slain. 

93 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Valgard  said  that  must  be  Njal's  counsel,  and  yet 
every  thing  had  not  come  out  yet  which  he  was  likely  to 
have  taught  him. 

Then  Thorgeir  begged  those  kinsmen  for  help  and 
backing,  and  they  held  out  a  long  while,  and  at  last  asked 
for  and  got  a  large  sum  of  money. 

That,  too,  was  part  of  their  plan,  that  Mord  should  ask 
for  Thorkatla,  Gizur  the  white's  daughter,  and  Thorgeir 
was  to  ride  at  once  west  across  the  river  with  Valgard 
and  Mord. 

So  the  day  after  they  rode  twelve  of  them  together  and 
come  to  Mossfell.  There  they  were  heartily  welcomed, 
and  they  put  the  question  to  Gizur  about  the  wooing,  and 
the  end  of  it  was  that  the  match  should  be  made,  and 
the  wedding  feast  was  to  be  in  half  a  month's  space  at 
Mossfell. 

They  ride  home,  and  after  that  they  ride  to  the  wed- 
ding, and  there  was  a  crowd  of  guests  to  meet  them,  and 
it  went  off  well.  Thorkatla  went  home  with  Mord  and 
took  the  housekeeping  in  hand  but  Valgard  went  abroad 
again  the  next  summer. 

Now  Mord  eggs  on  Thorgeir  to  set  his  suit  on  foot 
against  Gunnar,  and  Thorgeir  went  to  find  Aunund;  he 
bids  him  now  to  begin  a  suit  for  manslaughter  for  his 
brother  Egil  and  his  sons;  "but  I  will  begin  one  for  the 
manslaughter  of  my  brothers,  and  for  the  wounds  of 
myself  and  my  father." 

He  said  he  was  quite  ready  to  do  that,  and  then  they 
set  out,  and  give  notice  of  the  manslaughter,  and  summon 

nine  neighbours  who  dwelt  nearest  to  the  spot  where  the 

i 

94 


OF  VALGARD  AND  MORD 

deed  was  done.  This  beginning  of  the  suit  was  heard  of 
at  Lithend;  and  then  Gunnar  rides  to  see  Njal,  and  told 
him,  and  asked  what  he  wished  them  to  do  next. 

"Now,"  says  Njal,  "thou  shalt  summon  those  who 
dwell  next  to  the  spot,  and  thy  neighbours;  and  call 
men  to  witness  before  the  neighbours,  and  choose  out  Kol 
as  the  slayer  in  the  manslaughter  of  Hjort  thy  brother: 
for  that  is  lawful  and  right;  then  thou  shalt  give  notice 
of  the  suit  for  manslaughter  at  Kol's  hand,  though  he  be 
dead.  Then  shalt  thou  call  men  to  witness,  and  summon 
the  neighbours  to  ride  to  the  Althing  to  bear  witness  of 
the  fact,  whether  they,  Kol  and  his  companions,  were  on 
the  spot,  and  in  onslaught  when  Hjort  was  slain.  Thou 
shalt  also  summon  Thorgeir  for  the  suit  of  seduction, 
and  Aunund  at  the  suit  of  Tyrfing." 

Gunnar  now  did  everything  as  Njal  gave  him  counsel. 
This  men  thought  a  strange  beginning  of  suits,  and  now 
these  matters  come  before  the  Thing.  Gunnar  rides  to 
the  Thing,  and  Njal's  sons  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus.  Gun- 
nar had  sent  messengers  to  his  cousins  and  kinsmen,  that 
they  should  ride  to  the  Thing,  and  come  with  as  many 
men  as  they  could,  and  told  them  that  this  matter  would 
lead  to  much  strife.  So  they  gathered  together  in  a  great 
band  from  the  west. 

Mord  rode  to  the  Thing  and  Runolf  of  the  Dale,  and 
those  under  the  Threecorner,  and  Aunund  of  Witchwood. 
But  when  they  come  to  the  Thing,  they  join  them  in  one 
company  with  Gizur  the  white  and  Geir  the  priest. 


95 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 
CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

OF  FINES  AND  ATONEMENTS. 

GUNNAR,  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  Njal's  sons,  went 
altogether  in  one  band,  and  they  marched  so  swiftly  and 
closely  that  men  who  come  in  their  way  had  to  take  heed 
lest  they  should  get  a  fall;  and  nothing  was  so  often 
spoken  about  over  the  whole  Thing  as  these  great  law- 
suits. 

Gunnar  went  to  meet  his  cousins,  and  Olaf  and  his 
men  greeted  him  well.  They  asked  Gunnar  about  the 
fight,  but  he  told  them  all  about  it,  and  was  just  in  all  he 
said ;  he  told  them,  too,  what  steps  he  had  taken  since. 

Then  Olaf  said,  "  'Tis  worth  much  to  see  how  close 
Njal  stands  by  thee  in  all  counsel." 

Gunnar  said  he  should  never  be  able  to  repay  that,  but 
then  he  begged  them  for  help ;  and  they  said  that  was  his 
due. 

Now  the  suits  on  both  sides  came  before  the  court,  and 
each  pleads  his  cause. 

Mord  asked — "How  it  was  that  a  man  could  have  the 
right  to  set  a  suit  on  foot  who,  like  Gunnar,  had  already 
made  himself  an  outlaw  by  striking  Thorgeir  a  blow?" 

"Wast  thou,"  answered  Njal,  "at  Thingskala-Thing 
last  autumn?" 

"Surely  I  was,"  says  Mord. 

"Heardest  thou,"  asks  Njal,  "how  Gunnar  offered  him 
full  atonement?  Then  I  gave  back  Gunnar  his  right  to 
do  all  lawful  deeds." 

"That  is  right  and  good  law,"  says  Mord,  "but  how 

96 


OF  FINES  AND  ATONEMENTS 

does  the  matter  stand  if  Gunnar  has  laid  the  slaying  of 
Hjort  at  Kol's  door,  when  it  was  the  Easterling  that 
slew  him?" 

"That  was  right  and  lawful,"  says  Njal,  "when  he 
chose  him  as  the  slayer  before  witnesses." 

"That  was  lawful  and  right,  no  doubt,"  says  Mord; 
"but  for  what  did  Gunnar  summon  them  all  as  outlaws  ?" 

"Thou  needest  not  to  ask  about  that,"  says  Njal,  "when 
they  went  out  to  deal  wounds  and  manslaughter." 

"Yes,"  says  Mord,  "but  neither  befell  Gunnar." 

"Gunnar's  brothers,"  said  Njal,  "Kolskegg  and  Hjort, 
were  there,  and  one  of  them  got  his  death  and  the  other 
a  flesh  wound." 

"Thou  speakest  nothing  but  what  is  law,"  says  Mord, 
"though  it  is  hard  to  abide  by  it." 

Then  Hjallti  Skeggis  son  of  Thursodale,  stood  forth 
and  said — 

"I  have  had  no  share  in  any  of  your  lawsuits;  but  I 
wish  to  know  whether  thou  wilt  do  something,  Gunnar, 
for  the  sake  of  my  words  and  friendship." 

"What  askest  thou  ?"  says  Gunnar. 

"This,"  he  says,  "that  ye  lay  down  the  whole  suit  to  the 
award  and  judgment  of  good  men  and  true." 

"If  I  do  so,"  said  Gunnar,  "then  thou  shalt  never  be 
against  me,  whatever  men  I  may  have  to  deal  with." 

"I  will  give  my  word  to  that,"  says  Hjallti. 

After  that  he  tried  his  best  with  Gunnar's  adversaries, 
and  brought  it  about  that  they  were  all  set  at  one  again. 
And  after  that  each  side  gave  the  other  pledges  of  peace ; 
but  for  Thorgeir's  wound  came  the  suit  for  seduction, 

97 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

and  for  the  hewing  in  the  wood,  Starkad's  wound.  Thor- 
geir's  brothers  were  atoned  for  by  half  fines,  but  half  fell 
away  for  the  onslaught  on  Gunnar.  Egil's  slaying  and 
Tyrfing's  lawsuit  were  set  off  against  each  other.  For 
Hjort's  slaying,  the  slaying  of  Kol  and  of  the  Easterling 
were  to  come,  and  as  for  all  the  rest,  they  were  atoned 
for  with  half  fines. 

Njal  was  in  this  award,  and  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son, 
and  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son. 

Njal  had  much  money  out  at  interest  with  Starkad,  and 
at  Sandgil  too,  and  he  gave  it  all  to  Gunnar  to  make  up 
these  fines. 

So  many  friends  had  Gunnar  at  the  Thing,  that  he  not 
only  paid  up  there  and  then  all  the  fines  on  the  spot,  but 
gave  besides  gifts  to  many  chiefs  who  had  lent  him  help; 
and  he  had  the  greatest  honour  from  the  suit ;  and  all  were 
agreed  in  this,  that  no  man  was  his  match  in  all  the 
South  Quarter. 

So  Gunnar  rides  home  from  the  Thing  and  sits  there 
in  peace,  but  still  his  adversaries  envied  him  much  for  his 
honour. 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
OP  THORGEIR  STARKAD'S  SON. 

SOMETIME  after  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  fared  to  Kirk- 
by  to  see  his  namesake,  and  they  went  aside  to  speak, 
and  talked  secretly  all  day;  but  at  the  end  Thorgeir 
Starkad's  son,  gave  his  namesake  a  spear  inlaid  with  gold, 
and  rode  home  afterwards ;  they  made  the  greatest  friend- 
ship the  one  with  the  other. 

98 


OF  THORGEIR  STARKAD'S  SON 

At  the  Thingskala-Thing  in  the  autumn,  Kolskegg  laid 
claim  to  the  land  at  Moeidsknoll,  but  Gunnar  took  witness 
and  offered  ready  money,  or  another  piece  of  land  at  a 
lawful  price  to  those  under  the  Threecorner. 

Thorgeir  took  witness  also,  that  Gunnar  was  breaking 
the  settlement  made  between  them. 

After  that  the  Thing  was  broken  up,  and  so  the  next 
year  wore  away. 

Those  namesakes  were  always  meeting,  and  there  was 
the  greatest  friendship  between  them.  Kolskegg  spoke 
to  Gunnar  and  said — 

"I  am  told  that  there  is  great  friendship  between  those 
namesakes,  and  it  is  the  talk  of  many  men  that  they  will 
prove  untrue,  and  I  would  that  thou  wouldst  be  ware  of 
thyself." 

"Death  will  come  to  me  when  it  will  come,"  says  Gun- 
nar, "wherever  I  may  be,  if  that  is  my  fate." 

Then  they  left  off  talking  about  it. 

About  autumn,  Gunnar  gave  out  that  they  would  work 
one  week  there  at  home,  and  the  next  go  down  in  the  isles, 
and  so  make  an  end  of  their  hay-making.  At  the  same 
time,  he  let  it  be  known  that  every  man  would  have  to 
leave  the  house,  save  himself  and  the  women. 

Thorgeir  under  Threecorner  goes  to  see  his  namesake, 
but  as  soon  as  they  met  they  began  to  talk  after  their 
wont,  and  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son,  said — 

"I  would  that  we  could  harden  our  hearts  and  fall  on 
Gunnar." 

"Well,"  says  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son,  "every  struggle 
with  Gunnar  has  had  but  one  end,  that  few  have  gained 

99 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

the  day;  besides,  methinks  it  sounds  ill  to  be  called  a 
peace-breaker." 

"They  have  broken  the  peace,  not  we,"  says  Thorgeir 
Starkad's  son.  "Gunnar  took  away  from  thee  thy  corn- 
field; and  he  has  taken  Moeidsknoll  from  my  father  and 
me." 

And  so  they  settle  it  between  them  to  fall  on  Gunnar; 
and  then  Thorgeir  said  that  Gunnar  would  be  all  alone 
at  home  in  a  few  nights'  space,  "and  then  thou  shalt  come 
to  meet  me  with  eleven  men,  but  I  will  have  as  many." 

After  that  Thorgeir  rode  home. 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

OF  NJAL  AND  THOSE  NAMESAKES. 

Now  when  Kolskegg  and  the  house-carles  had  been 
three  nights  in  the  isles,  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  had  news 
of  that,  and  sends  word  to  his  namesake  that  he  should 
come  to  meet  him  on  Threecorner  ridge. 

After  that  Thorgeir  of  the  Threecorner  busked  him 
with  eleven  men ;  he  rides  up  on  the  ridge  and  there  waits 
for  his  namesake. 

And  now  Gunnar  is  at  home  in  his  house,  and  those 
namesakes  ride  into  a  wood  hard  by.  There  such  a  drow- 
siness came  over  them  that  they  could  do  naught  else  but 
sleep.  So  they  hung  their  shields  up  in  the  boughs,  and 
tethered  their  horses,  and  laid  their  weapons  by  their  sides. 

Njal  was  that  night  up  in  Thorolfsfell,  and  could  not 
sleep  at  all,  but  went  out  and  in  by  turns. 

Thorhilda  asked  Njal  why  he  could  not  sleep? 

"Many  things  now  flit  before  my  eyes,"  said  he;  "I 

100 


OF  NJAL  AND  THOSE  NAMESAKES 

see  many  fetches  of  Gunnar's  bitter  foes,  and  what  is  very 
strange  is  this,  they  seem  to  be  mad  with  rage,  and  yet 
they  fare  without  plan  or  purpose." 

A  little  after,  a  man  rode  up  to  the  door  and  got  off  his 
horse's  back  and  went  in,  and  there  was  come  the  shep- 
herd of  Thorhilda  and  her  husband. 

"Didst  thou  find  the  sheep?"  she  asked. 

"I  found  what  might  be  more  worth,"  said  he. 

"What  was  that?"  asked  Njal. 

"I  found  twenty-four  men  up  in  the  wood  yonder; 
they  had  tethered  their  horses ;  but  slept  themselves.  Their 
shields  they  had  hung  up  in  the  boughs." 

But  so  closely  had  he  looked  at  them  that  he  told  of 
all  their  weapons  and  wargear  and  clothes,  and  then  Njal 
knew  plainly  who  each  of  them  must  have  been,  and  said 
to  him — 

"  'Twere  good  hiring  if  there  were  many  such  shep- 
herds; and  this  shall  ever  stand  to  thy  good;  but  still  I 
will  send  thee  on  an  errand." 

He  said  at  once  he  would  go. 

"Thou  shalt  go,"  says  Njal,  "to  Lithend  and  tell  Gun- 
nar  that  he  must  fare  to  Gritwater,  and  then  send  after 
men;  but  I  will  go  to  meet  with  those  who  are  in  the 
wood  and  scare  them  away.  This  thing  hath  well  come 
to  pass,  so  that  they  shall  gain  nothing  by  this  journey, 
but  lose  much." 

The  shepherd  set  off  and  told  Gunnar  as  plainly  as  he 
could  the  whole  story.  Then  Gunnar  rode  to  Gritwater 
and  summoned  men  to  him. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Njal  how  he  rides  to  meet  these 
namesakes.  JOI 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Unwarily  ye  lie  here,"  he  says,  "or  for  what  end 
shall  this  journey  have  been  made?  And  Gunnar  is  not 
a  man  to  be  trifled  with.  But  if  the  truth  must  be  told 
then,  this  is  the  greatest  treason.  Ye  shall  also  know  this, 
that  Gunnar  is  gathering  force,  and  he  will  come  here  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  slay  you  all,  unless  ye  ride 
away  home." 

They  bestirred  them  at  once,  for  they  were  in  great 
fear,  and  took  their  weapons,  and  mounted  their  horses 
and  galloped  home  under  the  Threecorner. 

Njal  fared  to  meet  Gunnar  and  bade  him  not  to  break 
up  his  company. 

"But  I  will  go  and  seek  for  an  atonement;  now 
they  will  be  finely  frightened ;  but  for  this  treason  no  less 
a  sum  shall  be  paid  when  one  has  to  deal  with  all  of 
them,  than  shall  be  paid  for  the  slaying  of  one  or  other 
of  those  namesakes,  though  such  a  thing  should  come  to 
pass.  This  money  I  will  take  into  my  keeping,  and  so 
lay  it  out  that  it  may  be  ready  to  thy  hand  when  thou 
hast  need  of  it." 

CHAPTER  XL. 
MORD'S  COUNSEL. 

A  LITTLE  after,  those  namesakes  and  Mord  met,  and 
they  were  not  at  all  of  one  mind.  They  thought  they 
had  lost  much  goods  for  Mord's  sake,  but  had  got  noth- 
ing in  return ;  and  they  bade  him  set  on  foot  some  other 
plot  which  might  do  Gunnar  harm. 

Mord  said  so  it  should  be.  "But  now  this  is  my  coun- 
sel, that  thou,  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  shouldest  beguile 

1 02 


MORD'S  COUNSEL 

Ormilda,  Gunnar's  kinswoman;  but  Gunnar  will  let  his 
displeasure  grow  against  thee  at  that,  and  then  I  will 
spread  that  story  abroad  that  Gunnar  will  not  suffer  thee 
to  do  such  things." 

"Then  ye  two  shall  some  time  after  make  an  attack  on 
Gunnar,  but  still  ye  must  not  seek  him  at  home,  for  there 
is  no  thinking  of  that  while  the  hound  is  alive." 

So  they  settled  this  plan  among  them  that  it  should 
be  brought  about. 

Thorgeir  began  to  turn  his  steps  towards  Ormilda,  and 
Gunnar  thought  that  ill,  and  great  dislike  arose  between 
them. 

So  the  winter  wore  away.  Now  comes  the  summer, 
and  their  secret  meetings  went  on  oftener  than  before. 

As  for  Thorgeir  of  the  Threecorner  and  Mord,  they 
were  always  meeting;  and  they  plan  an  onslaught  on 
Gunnar,  when  he  rides  down  to  the  isles  to  see  after  the 
work  done  by  his  house-carles. 

One  day  Mord  was  ware  of  it  when  Gunnar  rode  down 
to  the  isles,  and  sent  a  man  off  under  the  Threecorner  to 
tell  Thorgeir  that  then  would  be  the  likeliest  time  to  try 
to  fall  on  Gunnar. 

They  bestirred  them  at  once,  and  fare  thence  twelve 
together,  but  when  they  came  to  Kirkby,  there  they  found 
thirteen  men  waiting  for  them. 

Then  they  made  up  their  minds  to  ride  down  to  Rang- 
river  and  lie  in  wait  there  for  Gunnar. 

But  when  Gunnar  rode  up  from  the  isles,  Kolskegg 
rode  with  him.  Gunnar  had  his  bow  and  his  arrows  and 
his  bill.  Kolskegg  had  his  short  sword  and  weapons  to 
match.  I0~ 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 
CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  THORGEIR  OTKELI/S   SON. 

THAT  token  happened  as  Gunnar  and  his  brother  rode 
up  towards  Rangriver,  that  much  blood  burst  out  on  the 
bill. 

Kolskegg  asked  what  that  might  mean. 

Gunnar  says,  "If  such  tokens  took  place  in  other  lands, 
it  was  called  'wound-drops,'  and  Master  Oliver  told  me 
also  that  this  only  happened  before  great  fights." 

So  they  rode  on  till  they  saw  men  sitting  by  the  river 
on  the  other  side,  and  they  had  tethered  their  horses 

Gunnar  said,  "Now  we  have  an  ambush." 

Kolskegg  answered,  "Long  have  they  been  faithless; 
but  what  is  best  to  be  done  now  ?" 

"We  will  gallop  up  alongside  them  to  the  ford,"  says 
Gunnar,  "and  there  make  ready  for  them." 

The  others  saw  that  and  turned  at  once  towards  them. 

Gunnar  strings  his  bow,  and  takes  his  arrows  and 
throws  them  on  the  ground  before  him,  and  shoots  as 
soon  as  ever  they  come  within  shot;  by  that  Gunnar 
wounded  many  men,  but  some  he  slew. 

Then  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  spoke  and  said,  "This  is  no 
use;  let  us  make  for  him  as  hard  as  we  can." 

They  did  so,  and  first  went  Aunund  the  fair,  Thor- 
geir's  kinsman.  Gunnar  hurled  the  bill  at  him,  and  it  fell 
on  his  shield  and  clove  it  in  twain,  but  the  bill  rushed 
through  Aunund.  Augmund  Shockhead  rushed  at  Gun- 
nar behind  his  back.  Kolskegg  saw  that  and  cut  off  at 
once  both  Augmund's  legs  from  under  him,  and  hurled 

104 


THE  SLAYING  OF  THORGEIR  OTKELL'S  SON 

him  out  into  Rangriver,  and  he  was  drowned  there  and 
then. 

Then  a  hard  battle  arose;  Gunnar  cut  with  one  hand 
and  thrust  with  the  other.  Kolskegg  slew  some  men  and 
wounded  many. 

Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  called  to  his  namesake,  "It 
looks  very  little  as  though  thou  hadst  a  father  to  avenge." 

"True  it  is,"  he  answers,  "that  I  do  not  make  much 
way,  but  yet  thou  hast  not  followed  in  my  footsteps; 
still  I  will  not  bear  thy  reproaches." 

With  that  he  rushes  at  Gunnar  in  great  wrath,  and 
thrust  his  spear  through  his  shield,  and  so  on  through 
his  arm. 

Gunnar  gave  the  shield  such  a  sharp  twist  that  the 
spear-head  broke  short  off  at  the  socket.  Gunnar  sees 
that  another  man  was  come  within  reach  of  his  sword, 
and  he  smites  at  him  and  deals  him  his  death-blow.  Af- 
ter that,  he  clutches  his  bill  with  both  hands;  just  then 
Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  had  come  near  him  with  a  drawn 
sword,  and  Gunnar  turns  on  him  in  great  wrath,  and 
drives  the  bill  through  him,  and  lifts  him  up  aloft,  and 
casts  him  out  into  Rangriver,  and  he  drifts  down  towards 
the  ford,  and  stuck  fast  there  on  a  stone;  and  the  name 
of  that  ford  has  since  been  Thorgeir's  ford. 

Then  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son  said,  "Let  us  fly  now; 
no  victory  will  be  fated  to  us  this  time." 

So  they  all  turned  and  fled  from  the  field. 

"Let  us  follow  them  up  now,"  says  Kolskegg,  "and 
take  thou  thy  bow  and  arrows,  and  thou  wilt  come 
within  bow-shot  of  Thorgeir  Starkad's  son." 

105 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Our  purses  will  be  emptied,"  says  Gunnar,  "by  the 
time  that  these  are  atoned  for  who  now  lie  here  dead." 

"Thou  wilt  never  lack  money,"  says  Kolskegg;  "but 
Thorgeir  will  never  leave  off  before  he  compasses  thy 
death." 

"He,  and  a  few  more  as  good  as  he,"  says  Gunnar, 
"must  stand  in  my  path  ere  I  am  afraid  of  them." 

After  that  they  ride  home  and  tell  the  tidings. 

Hallgerda  was  well  pleased  to  hear  them,  and  praised 
the  deed  much. 

CHAPTER  XUI. 

OF  THE  SUITS  FOR  MANSLAUGHTER  AT  THE  THING. 

THESE  tidings,  were  spread  far  and  wide,  and  Thor- 
geir's  death  was  a  great  grief  to  many  a  man.  Gizur  the 
white  and  his  men  rode  to  the  spot  and  gave  notice  of  the 
manslaughter,  and  called  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest 
to  the  Thing.  Then  they  rode  home  west. 

Njal  and  Gunnar  met  and  talked  about  the  battle. 
Then  Njal  said  to  Gunnar — 

"Now  be  ware  of  thyself !  Now  hast  thou  slain  twice 
in  the  same  stock;  and  so  now  take  heed  to  thy  behav- 
iour, and  think  that  it  is  as  much  as  thy  life  is  worth, 
if  thou  dost  not  hold  to  the  settlement  that  is  made." 

"Nor  do  I  mean  to  break  it  in  any  way,"  says  Gunnar, 
"but  still  I  shall  need  thy  help  at  the  Thing." 

"I  will  hold  to  my  faithfulness  to  thee,"  said  Njal, 
"till  my  death  day." 

Then  Gunnar  rides  home.  Now  the  Thing  draws 
near;  and  each  side  gather  a  great  company;  and  it  is  a 

1 06 


OF  THE  SUITS  FOR  MANSLAUGHTER 

matter  of  much  talk  at  the  Thing  how  these  suits  will 
end. 

Those  two,  Gizur  the  white,  and  Geir  the  priest,  talked 
with  each  other  as  to  who  should  give  notice  of  the  suit 
of  manslaughter  after  Thorgeir,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that 
Gizur  took  the  suit  on  his  hand,  and  gave  notice  of  it  at 
the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  spoke  in  these  words : — 

"I  gave  notice  of  a  suit  for  assault  laid  down  by  law 
against  Gunnar  Hamond's  son;  for  that  he  rushed  with 
an  onslaught  laid  down  by  law  on  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son, 
and  wounded  him  with  a  body  wound,  which  proved  a 
death  wound,  so  that  Thorgeir  got  his  death. 

"I  say  on  this  charge  he  ought  to  become  a  convicted 
outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded,  not  to  be 
helped  or  harboured  in  any  need. 

"I  say  that  his  goods  are  forfeited,  half  to  me  and  half 
to  the  men  of  the  Quarter,  whose  right  it  is  by  law  to 
seize  the  goods  of  outlaws. 

"I  give  notice  of  this  charge  in  the  Quarter  Court,  into 
which  this  suit  ought  by  law  to  come. 

"I  give  this  lawful  notice  in  the  hearing  of  all  men  at 
the  Hill  of  Laws. 

"I  give  notice  now  of  this  suit,  and  of  full  forfeiture 
and  outlawry  against  Gunnar  Hamond's  son." 

A  second  time  Gizur  took  witness,  and  gave  notice  of 
a  suit  against  Gunnar  Hamond's  son,  for  that  he  had 
wounded  Thorgeir  Otkell's  son  with  a  body  wound  which 
was  a  death  wound,  and  from  which  Thorgeir  got  his 
death,  on  such  and  such  a  spot  when  Gunnar  first  sprang 
on  Thorgeir  with  an  onslaught,  laid  down  by  law. 

107 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

After  that  he  gave  notice  of  this  declaration  as  he  had 
done  of  the  first.  Then  he  asked  in  what  Quarter  Court 
the  suit  lay,  and  in  what  house  in  the  district  the  defend- 
ant dwelt. 

When  that  was  over  men  left  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  all 
said  that  he  spoke  well. 

Gunnar  kept  himself  well  in  hand  and  said  little  or 
nothing. 

Now  the  Thing  wears  away  till  the  day  when  the  courts 
were  to  be  set. 

Then  Gunnar  stood  looking  south  by  the  court  of  the 
men  of  Rangriver,  and  his  men  with  him. 

Gizur  stood  looking  north,  and  calls  his  witnesses,  and 
bade  Gunnar  to  listen  to  his  oath,  and  to  his  declaration 
of  the  suit,  and  to  all  the  steps  and  proofs  which  he  meant 
to  bring  forward.  After  that  he  took  his  oath,  and  then 
he  brought  forward  the  suit  in  the  same  shape  before  the 
court,  as  he  had  given  notice  of  it  before.  Then  he 
made  them  bring  forward  witness  of  the  notice,  then  he 
bade  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  to  take  their  seats, 
and  called  upon  Gunnar  to  challenge  the  inquest. 

CHAPTER  XUII. 

OF  THE  ATONEMENT. 

THEN  Njal  spoke  and  said — 

"Now  I  can  no  longer  sit  still  and  take  no  part.  Let 
us  go  to  where  the  neighbours  sit  on  the  inquest." 

They  went  thither  and  challenged  four  neighbours  out 
of  the  inquest,  but  they  called  on  the  five  that  were  left 
to  answer  the  following  question  in  Gunnar's  favour, 

1 08 


OF   THE  ATONEMENT 

"whether  those  namesakes  had  gone  out  with  that  mind 
to  the  place  of  meeting  to  do  Gunnar  a  mischief  if  they 
could?" 

But  all  bore  witness  at  once  that  so  it  was. 

Then  Njal  called  this  a  lawful  defence  to  the  suit,  and 
said  he  would  bring  forward  proof  of  it  unless  they  gave 
over  the  suit  to  arbitration. 

Then  many  chiefs  joined  in  praying  for  an  atonement, 
and  so  it  was  brought  about  that  twelve  men  should  ut- 
ter an  award  in  the  matter. 

Then  either  side  went  and  handselled  this  settlement 
to  the  other.  Afterwards  the  award  was  made,  and  the 
sum  to  be  paid  settled,  and  it  was  all  to  be  paid  down 
then  and  there  at  the  Thing. 

But  besides,  Gunnar  was  to  go  abroad  and  Kolskegg 
with  him,  and  they  were  to  be  away  three  winters;  but  if 
Gunnar  did  not  go  abroad  when  he  had  a  chance  of  a 
passage,  then  he  was  to  be  slain  by  the  kinsmen  of  those 
whom  he  had  killed. 

Gunnar  made  no  sign,  as  though  he  thought  the  terms 
of  atonement  were  not  good.  He  asked  Njal  for  that 
money  which  he  had  handed  over  to  him  to  keep.  Njal 
had  laid  the  money  out  at  interest  and  paid  it  down  all 
at  once,  and  it  just  came  to  what  Gunnar  had  to  pay  for 
himself. 

Now  they  ride  home.  Gunnar  and  Njal  rode  both  to- 
gether from  the  Thing,  and  then  Njal  said  to  Gunnar — 

"Take  good  care,  messmate,  that  thou  keepest  to  this 
atonement,  and  bear  in  mind  \vhat  we  have  spoken  about ; 
for  though  thy  former  journey  abroad  brought  thee  to 

109 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

great  honour,  this  will  be  a  far  greater  honour  to  thee. 
Thou  wilt  come  back  with  great  glory,  and  live  to  be  an 
old  man,  and  no  man  here  will  then  tread  on  thy  heel; 
but  if  thoti  dost  not  fare  away,  and  so  breakest  thy  atone- 
ment, then  thou  wilt  be  slain  here  in  the  land,  and  that 
is  ill  knowing  for  those  who  are  thy  friends." 

Gunnar  said  he  had  no  mind  to  break  the  atonement, 
and  he  rides  home  and  told  them  of  the  settlement. 

Rannveig  said  it  was  well  that  he  fared  abroad,  for 
then  they  must  find  some  one  else  to  quarrel  with. 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

THE   RIDING   TO   UTHEND. 

NEXT  autumn  Mord  Valgard's  son  sent  word  that 
Gunnar  would  be  all  alone  at  home,  but  all  his  people 
would  be  down  in  the  isles  to  make  an  end  of  their  hay- 
making. Then  Gizur  the  white  and  Geir  the  priest  rode 
east  over  the  rivers  as  soon  as  ever  they  heard  that,  and 
so  east  across  the  sands  to  Hof.  Then  they  sent  word  to 
Starkad  under  the  Threecorner,  and  there  they  all  met 
who  were  to  fall  on  Gunnar,  and  took  counsel  how  they 
might  best  bring  it  about. 

Mord  said  that  they  could  not  come  on  Gunnar  una- 
wares, unless  they  seized  the  farmer  who  dwelt  at  the 
next  homestead,  whose  name  was  Thorkell,  and  made 
him  go  against  his  will  with  them  to  lay  hands  on  the 
hound  Sam,  and  unless  he  went  before  them  to  the  home- 
stead to  do  this. 

Then  they  set  out  east  for  Lithend,  but  sent  to  fetch 
Thorkell.  They  seized  him  and  bound  him,  and  gave 

1 10 


GUNNAR'S  SLAYING 

him  two  choices — one  that  they  would  slay  him,  or  else 
he  must  lay  hands  on  the  hound;  but  he  chooses  rather 
to  save  his  life,  and  went  with  them. 

There  was  a  beaten  sunk  road,  between  fences,  above 
the  farm  yard  at  Lithend,  and  there  they  halted  with  their 
band.  Master  Thorkell  went  up  to  the  homestead,  and 
the  tyke  lay  on  the  top  of  the  house,  and  he  entices  the 
dog  away  with  him  into  a  deep  hollow  in  the  path.  Just 
then  the  hound  sees  that  there  are  men  before  them,  and 
he  leaps  on  Thorkell  and  tears  his  belly  open. 

Aunund  of  Witchwood  smote  the  hound  on  the  head 
with  his  axe,  so  that  the  blade  sunk  into  the  brain.  The 
hound  gave  such  a  great  howl  that  they  thought  it  pass- 
ing strange,  and  he  fell  down  dead. 

CHAPTER  XLV. 
GUNNAR'S  SLAYING. 

GUNNAR  woke  up  in  his  hall  and  said — 

"Thou  hast  been  sorely  treated,  Sam,  my  fosterling, 
and  this  warning  is  so  meant  that  our  two  deaths  will  not 
be  far  apart." 

Gunnar's  hall  was  made  all  of  wood,  and  roofed  with 
beams  above,  and  there  were  window-slits  under  the 
beams  that  carried  the  roof,  and  they  were  fitted  with 
shutters. 

Gunnar  slept  in  a  loft  above  the  hall,  and  so  did  Hall- 
gerda  and  his  mother. 

Now  when  they  were  come  near  to  the  house  they 
knew  not  whether  Gunnar  were  at  home,  and  bade  that 
some  one  would  go  straight  up  to  the  house  and  see  if 

in 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

he  could  find  out.  But  the  rest  sat  them  down  on  the 
ground. 

Thorgrim  the  Easterling  went  and  began  to  climb  up 
on  the  hall;  Gimnar  sees  that  a  red  kirtle  passed  before 
the  windowslit,  and  thrusts  out  the  bill,  and  smote  him 
on  the  middle.  Thorgrim's  feet  slipped  from  under  him, 
and  he  dropped  his  shield,  and  down  he  toppled  from  the 
roof. 

Then  he  goes  to  Gizur  and  his  band  as  they  sat  on  the 
ground. 

Gizur  looked  at  him  and  said — 

"Well,  is  Gunnar  at  home?" 

"Find  that  out  for  yourselves,"  said  Thorgrim;  "but 
this  I  am  sure  of,  that  his  bill  is  at  home,"  and  with  that 
he  fell  down  dead. 

Then  they  made  for  the  buildings.  Gunnar  shot  out 
arrows  at  them,  and  made  a  stout  defence,  and  they 
could  get  nothing  done.  Then  some  of  them  got  into 
the  outhouses  and  tried  to  attack  him  thence,  but  Gunnar 
found  them  out  with  his  arrows  there  also,  and  still  they 
could  get  nothing  done. 

So  it  went  on  for  a  while,  then  they  took  a  rest,  and 
made  a  second  onslaught.  Gunnar  still  shot  out  at  them, 
and  they  could  do  nothing,  and  fell  off  the  second  time. 
Then  Gizur  the  white  said — 

"Let  us  press  on  harder;  nothing  comes  of  our  on- 
slaught." 

Then  they  made  a  third  bout  of  it,  and  were  long  at  it, 
and  then  they  fell  off  again. 

Gunnar  said,  "There  lies  an  arrow  outside  on  the  wall, 


GUNNAR'S  SLAYING 

and  it  is  one  of  their  shafts ;  I  will  shoot  at  them  with  it, 
and  it  will  be  a  shame  to  them  if  they  get  a  hurt  from 
their  own  weapons." 

His  mother  said,  "Do  not  so,  my  son;  nor  rouse  them 
arjain  when  they  have  already  fallen  off  from  the  attack." 

But  Gunnar  caught  up  the  arrow  and  shot  it  after  them, 
and  struck  Eylif  Aunund's  son,  and  he  got  a  great 
wound;  he  was  standing  all  by  himself,  and  they  knew 
not  that  he  was  wounded. 

"Out  came  an  arm  yonder,"  says  Gizur,  "and  there 
was  a  gold  ring  on  it,  and  took  an  arrow  from  the  roof, 
and  they  would  not  look  outside  for  shafts  if  there  were 
enough  in  doors!  and  now  ye  shall  make  a  fresh  on- 
slaught." 

"Let  us  burn  him  house  and  all,"  said  Mord. 

"That  shall  never  be,"  says  Gizur,  "though  I  knew 
that  my  life  lay  on  it;  but  it  is  easy  for  thee  to  find  out 
some  plan,  such  a  cunning  man  as  thou  art  said  to  be." 

Some  ropes  lay  there  on  the  ground,  and  they  were 
often  used  to  strengthen  the  roof.  Then  Mord  said — 
"Let  us  take  the  ropes  and  throw  one  end  over  the  end 
of  the  carrying  beams,  but  let  us  fasten  the  other  end  to 
these  rocks  and  twist  them  tight  with  levers,  and  so  pull 
the  roof  off  the  hall." 

So  they  took  the  ropes  and  all  lent  a  hand  to  carry  this 
out,  and  before  Gunnar  was  aware  of  it,  they  had  pulled 
the  whole  roof  off  the  hall. 

Then  Gunnar  still  shoots  with  his  bow  so  that  they 
could  never  come  nigh  him.  Then  Mord  said  again  they 
must  burn  the  house  over  Gunnar's  head.  But  Gizur  said — 

"3 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  know  not  why  thou  wilt  speak  of  that  which  no  one 
else  wishes,  and  that  shall  never  be." 

Just  then  Thorbrand  Thorleik's  son  sprang  up  on  the 
roof,  and  cuts  asunder  Gunnar's  bowstring.  Gunnar 
clutches  the  bill  with  both  hands,  and  turns  on  him 
quickly  and  drives  it  through  him,  and  hurls  him  down 
on  the  ground. 

Then  up  sprung  Asbrand  his  brother.  Gunnar  thrusts 
at  him  with  the  bill,  and  he  threw  his  shield  before  the 
blow,  but  the  bill  passed  clean  through  the  shield  and 
broke  both  his  arms,  and  down  he  fell  from  the  wall. 

Gunnar  had  already  wounded  eight  men  and  slain  those 
twain.  By  that  time  Gunnar  had  got  two  wounds,  and 
all  men  said  that  he  never  once  winced  either  at  wounds 
or  death. 

Then  Gunnar  said  to  Hallgerda,  "Give  me  two  locks 
of  thy  hair,  and  ye  two,  my  mother  and  thou,  twist  them 
together  into  a  bowstring  for  me." 

"Does  aught  lie  on  it?"  she  says. 

"My  life  lies  on  it,"  he  said ;  "for  they  will  never  come 
to  close  quarters  with  me  if  I  can  keep  them  off  with 
my  bow." 

"Well!"  she  says,  "now  I  will  call  to  thy  mind  that 
slap  on  the  face  which  thou  gavest  me;  and  I  care  never 
a  whit  whether  thou  holdest  out  a  long  while  or  a  short." 

"Every  one  has  something  to  boast  of,"  says  Gunnar, 
"and  I  will  ask  thee  no  more  for  this." 

"Thou  behavest  ill,"  said  Rannveig,  "and  this  shame 
shall  long  be  had  in  mind." 

Gunnar   made   a   stout   and   bold   defence,    and   now 

114 


GUNNAR  SINGS  A  SONG  DEAD 

wounds  other  eight  men  with  such  sore  wounds  that  many 
lay  at  death's  door.  Gunnar  keeps  them  all  off  until  he 
fell  worn  out  with  toil.  Then  they  wounded  him  with 
many  and  great  wounds,  but  still  he  got  away  out  of  their 
hands,  and  held  his  own  against  them  a  while  longer,  but 
at  last  it  came  about  that  they  slew  him. 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

GUNNAR  SINGS  A  SONG  DEAD. 

NJAI,  could  ill  brook  Gunnar's  death,  nor  could  the 
sons  of  Sigfus  brook  it  either. 

They  asked  whether  Njal  thought  they  had  any  right  to 
give  notice  of  a  suit  of  manslaughter  for  Gunnar,  or  to 
set  the  suit  on  foot. 

He  said  that  could  not  be  done,  as  the  man  had  been 
outlawed ;  but  said  it  would  be  better  worth  trying  to  do 
something  to  wound  their  glory,  by  slaying  some  men  in 
vengeance  after  him. 

They  cast  a  cairn  over  Gunnar,  and  made  him  sit  up- 
right in  the  cairn.  Rannveig  would  not  hear  of  his  bill 
being  buried  in  the  cairn,  but  said  he  alone  should  have 
it  as  his  own,  who  was  ready  to  avenge  Gunnar.  So  no 
one  took  the  bill. 

She  was  so  hard  on  Hallgerda,  that  she  was  on  the 
point  of  killing  her;  and  she  said  that  she  had  been  the 
cause  of  her  son's  slaying. 

Then  Hallgerda  fled  away  to  Gritwater,  and  her  son 
Grani  with  her,  and  they  shared  the  goods  between  them ; 
Hogni  was  to  have  the  land  at  Lithend  and  the  home- 
stead on  it,  but  Grani  was  to  have  the  land  let  out  on  lease. 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Now  this  token  happened  at  Lithend,  that  the  neat- 
herd and  the  serving-maid  were  driving  cattle  by  Gun- 
nar's  cairn.  They  thought  that  he  was  merry,  and  that 
he  was  singing  inside  the  cairn.  They  went  home  and 
told  Rannveig,  Gunnar's  mother,  of  this  token,  but  she 
bade  them  go  and  tell  Njal. 

Then  they  went  over  to  Bergthorsknoll  and  told  Njal, 
but  he  made  them  tell  it  three  times  over. 

After  that,  he  had  a  long  talk  all  alone  with  Skarphe- 
dinn;  and  Skarphedinn  took  his  weapons  and  goes  with 
them,  to  Lithend. 

Rannveig  and  Hogni  gave  him  a  hearty  welcome,  and 
were  very  glad  to  see  him.  Rannveig  asked  him  to  stay 
there  some  time,  and  he  said  he  would. 

He  and  Hogni  were  always  together,  at  home  and 
abroad.  Hogni  was  a  brisk,  brave  man,  well-bred  and 
well-trained  in  mind  and  body,  but  distrustful  and  slow 
to  believe  what  he  was  told,  and  that  was  why  they  dared 
not  tell  him  of  the  token. 

Now  those  two,  Skarphedinn  and  Hogni,  were  out  of 
doors  one  evening  by  Gunnar's  cairn  on  the  south  side. 
The  moon  and  stars  were  shining  clear  and  bright,  but 
every  now  and  then  the  clouds  drove  over  them.  Then 
all  at  once  they  thought  they  saw  the  cairn  standing  open, 
and  lo!  Gunnar  had  turned  himself  in  the  cairn  and  looked 
at  the  moon.  They  thought  they  saw  four  lights  burning 
in  the  cairn,  and  none  of  them  threw  a  shadow.  They 
saw  that  Gunnar  was  merry,  and  he  wore  a  joyful  face. 
He  sang  a  song,  and  so  loud,  that  it  might  have  been 
heard  though  they  had  been  farther  off. 

116 


CUNNAR  OF  UTHEND  AVENGED 

After  that  the  cairn  was  shut  up  again. 

"Wouldst  thou  believe  these  tokens  if  Njal  or  I  told 
them  to  thee?"  says  Skarphedinn. 

"I  would  believe  them,"  he  says,  "if  Njal  told  them, 
for  it  is  said  he  never  lies." 

"Such  tokens  as  these  mean  much,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"when  he  shows  himself  to  us,  he  who  would  sooner  die 
than  yield  to  his  foes ;  and  see  how  he  has  taught  us  what 
we  ought  to  do." 

"I  shall  be  able  to  bring  nothing  to  pass,"  says  Hogni, 
"unless  thou  wilt  stand  by  me." 

"Now,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "will  I  bear  in  mind  how 
Gunnar  behaved  after  the  slaying  of  your  kinsman  Sig- 
mund;  now  I  will  yield  you  such  help  as  I  may.  My 
father  gave  his  word  to  Gunnar  to  do  that  whenever  thou 
or  thy  mother  had  need  of  it." 

After  that  they  go  home  to  Lithend. 

CHAPTER  XLVII. 

GUNNAR  OF  UTHEND  AVENGED. 

"Now  we  shall  set  off  at  once,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"this  very  night;  for  if  they  learn  that  I  am  here,  they 
will  be  more  wary  of  themselves." 

"I  will  fulfil  thy  counsel,"  says  Hogni. 

After  that  they  took  their  weapons  when  all  men  were 
in  their  beds.  Hogni  takes  down  the  bill,  and  it  gave  a 
sharp  ringing  sound. 

Rannveig  sprang  up  in  great  wrath  and  said — 

"Who  touches  the  bill,  when  I  forbade  every  one  to 
lay  hand  on  it." 

117 


THE  STORY  OP  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  mean,"  says  Hogni,  "to  bring  it  to  my  father,  that 
he  may  bear  it  with  him  to  Valhalla,  and  have  it  with  him 
when  the  warriors  meet." 

"Rather  shalt  thou  now  bear  it,"  she  answered,  "and 
avenge  thy  father;  for  the  bill  has  spoken  of  one  man's 
death  or  more." 

Then  Hogni  went  out,  and  told  Skarphedinn  all  the 
words  that  his  grandmother  had  spoken. 

After  that  they  fare  to  the  Point,  and  two  ravens  flew 
along  with  them  all  the  way.  They  came  to  the  Point 
while  it  was  still  night.  Then  they  drove  the  flock  be- 
fore them  up  to  the  house,  and  then  Hroald  and  Tjorfi 
ran  out  and  drove  the  flock  up  the  hollow  path,  and  had 
their  weapons  with  them. 

Skarphedinn  sprang  up  and  said,  "Thou  needest  not  to 
stand  and  think  if  it  be  really  as  it  seems.  Men  are 
here." 

Then  Skarphedinn  smites  Tjorfi  his  death-blow.  Hroald 
had  a  spear  in  his  hand  and  Hogni  rushes  at  him ;  Hroald 
thrusts  at  him,  but  Hogni  hewed  asunder  the  spear-shaft 
with  his  bill,  and  drives  the  bill  through  him. 

After  that  they  left  them  there  dead,  and  turn  away 
thence  under  the  Threecorner. 

Skarphedinn  jumps  up  on  the  house  and  plucks  the 
grass,  and  those  who  were  inside  the  house  thought  it 
was  cattle  that  had  come  on  the  roof.  Starkad  and  Thor- 
geir  took  their  weapons  and  upper  clothing,  and  went  out 
and  round  about  the  fence  of  the  yard.  But  when  Star- 
kad sees  Skarphedinn  he  was  afraid,  and  wanted  to  turn 
back. 

118 


HOGNI  TAKES  AN  ATONEMENT 

Skarphedinn  cut  him  down  by  the  fence.  Then  Hogni 
comes  against  Thorgeir  and  slays  him  with  the  bill. 

Thence  they  went  to  Hof,  and  Mord  was  outside  in  the 
field,  and  begged  for  mercy,  and  offered  them  full  atone- 
ment. 

"And  the  like  journey,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "shalt  thou 
also  fare,  or  hand  over  to  Hogni  the  right  to  make  his 
own  award,  if  he  will  take  these  terms." 

Hogni  said  his  mind  had  been  made  up  not  to  come  to 
any  terms  with  the  slayers  of  his  father;  but  still  at  last 
he  took  the  right  to  make  his  own  award  from  Mord. 

CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

HOGNI  TAKES  AN   ATONEMENT   FOR   GUNNAR^S  DEATH. 

NJAL  took  a  share  in  bringing  those  who  had  the 
blood-feud  after  Starkad  and  Thorgeir  to  take  an  atone- 
ment, and  a  district  meeting  was  called  together,  and  men 
were  chosen  to  make  the  award,  and  every  matter  was 
taken  into  account,  even  the  attack  on  Gunnar,  though 
he  was  an  outlaw ;  but  such  a  fine  as  was  awarded,  all  that 
Mord  paid ;  for  they  did  not  close  their  award  against  him 
before  the  other  matter  was  already  settled,  and  then  they 
set  off  one  award  against  the  other. 

Then  they  were  all  set  at  one  again,  but  at  the  Thing 
there  was  great  talk,  and  the  end  of  it  was,  that  Geir 
the  priest  and  Hogni  were  set  at  one  again,  and  that 
atonement  they  held  to  ever  afterwards. 

Geir  the  priest  dwelt  in  the  Lithe  till  his  death-day, 
and  he  is  out  of  the  story. 

Njal  asked  as  a  wife  for  Hogni  Alfeida  the  daughter 

119 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

of  Weatherlid  the  Skald,  and  she  was  given  away  to 
him.  Their  son  was  Ari,  who  sailed  for  Shetland,  and 
took  him  a  wife  there;  from  him  is  come  Einar  the  Shet- 
lander,  one  of  the  briskest  and  boldest  of  men. 

Hogni  kept  up  his  friendship  with  Njal,  and  he  is 
now  out  of  the  story. 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 

NJAI/S  SONS  SAIL,  ABROAD. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  Njal's  sons,  Grim  and  Helgi, 
left  Iceland  the  same  summer  that  Thrain  and  his  fellows 
went  away;  and  in  the  ship  with  them  were  Olaf  Kettle's 
son  of  Elda,  and  Bard  the  black.  They  got  so  strong  a 
wind  from  the  north  that  they  were  driven  south  into 
the  main ;  and  so  thick  a  mist  came  over  them  that  they 
could  not  tell  whither  they  were  driving,  and  they  were 
out  a  long  while.  At  last  they  came  to  where  was  a  great 
round  sea,  and  thought  then  they  must  be  near  land.  So 
then  Njal's  sons  asked  Bard  if  he  could  tell  at  all  to  what 
land  they  were  likely  to  be  nearest. 

"Many  lands  there  are,"  said  he,  "which  we  might  hit 
with  the  weather  we  have  had — the  Orkneys,  or  Scot- 
land, or  Ireland." 

Two  nights  after,  they  saw  land  on  both  boards,  and  a 
great  surf  running  up  in  the  firth.  They  cast  anchor 
outside  the  breakers,  and  the  wind  began  to  fall ;  and  next 
morning  it  was  calm.  Then  they  see  thirteen  ships  com- 
ing out  to  them. 

Then  Bard  spoke  and  said,  "What  counsel  shall  we 
take  now,  for  these  men  are  going  to  make  an  onslaught 
on  us?"  I2Q 


tiJAL'S  SONS  SAIL  ABROAD 

So  they  took  counsel  whether  they  should  defend  them- 
selves or  yield,  but  before  they  could  make  up  their 
minds,  the  Vikings  were  upon  them.  Then  each  side 
asked  the  other  their  names,  and  what  their  leaders  were 
called.  So  the  leaders  of  the  chapmen  told  their  names, 
and  asked  back  who  led  that  host.  One  called  himself 
Gritgard,  and  the  other  Snowcolf,  sons  of  Moldan  of 
Duncansby  in  Scotland,  kinsmen  of  Malcolm  the  Scot 
king. 

"And  now,"  says  Gritgard,  "we  have  laid  down  two 
choices,  one  that  ye  go  on  shore,  and  we  will  take  your 
goods;  the  other  is,  that  we  fall  on  you  and  slay  every 
man  that  we  can  catch." 

"The  will  of  the  chapmen,"  answers  Helgi,  "is  to  de- 
fend themselves." 

But  the  chapmen  called  out,  "Wretch  that  thou  art  to 
speak  thus!  What  defence  can  we  make?  leading  is  less 
than  life." 

But  Grim,  he  fell  upon  a  plan  to  shout  out  to  the  Vik- 
ings, and  would  not  let  them  hear  the  bad  choice  of  the 
chapmen. 

Then  Bard  and  Olaf  said,  "Think  ye  not  that  these 
Icelanders  will  make  game  of  you  sluggards ;  take  rather 
your  weapons  and  guard  your  goods." 

So  they  all  seized  their  weapons,  and  bound  them- 
selves, one  with  another,  never  to  give  up  so  long  as  they 
had  strength  to  fight. 


121 

11 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

CHAPTER  L. 
OF  KARI  SOLMUND'S  SON. 

THEN  the  Vikings  shot  at  them  and  the  fight  began, 
and  the  chapmen  guard  themselves  well.  Snowcolf 
sprang  aboard  and  at  Olaf,  and  thrust  his  spear  through 
his  body,  but  Grim  thrust  at  Snowcolf  with  his  spear, 
and  so  stoutly,  that  he  fell  overboard.  Then  Helgi  turned 
to  meet  Grim,  and  they  too  drove  down  all  the  Vikings 
as  they  tried  to  board,  and  Njal's  sons  were  ever  where 
there  was  most  need.  Then  the  Vikings  called  out  to 
the  chapmen  and  bade  them  give  up,  but  they  said  they 
would  never  yield.  Just  then  some  one  looked  seaward, 
and  there  they  see  ships  coming  from  the  south  round  the 
Ness,  and  they  were  not  fewer  than  ten,  and  they  row 
hard  and  steer  thitherwards.  Along  their  sides  were 
shield  on  shield,  but  on  that  ship  that  came  first  stood 
a  man  by  the  mast,  who  was  clad  in  a  silken  kirtle,  and 
had  a  gilded  helm,  and  his  hair  was  both  fair  and  thick; 
that  man  had  a  spear  inlaid  with  gold  in  his  hand. 

He  asked,  "Who  have  here  such  an  uneven  game?" 

Helgi  tells  his  name,  and  said  that  against  them  are 
Gritgard  and  Snowcolf. 

"But  who  are  your  captains?"  he  asks. 

Helgi  answered,  "Bard  the  black,  who  lives,  but  the 
other,  who  is  dead  and  gone,  was  called  Olaf." 

"Are  ye  men  from  Iceland?"  says  he. 

"Sure  enough  we  are,"  Helgi  answers. 

He  asked  whose  sons  they  were,  and  they  told  him, 
then  he  knew  them  and  said — 

122 


OF  KAR1  SOLMUND'S  SON 

"Well  known  names  have  ye  all,  father  and  sons  both." 

"Who  art  thou  ?"  asks  Helgi. 

"My  name  is  Kari,  and  I  am  Solmund's  son." 

"Whence  comest  thou?"  says  Helgi. 

"From  the  Southern  Isles." 

"Then  thou  art  welcome,"  says  Helgi,  "if  thou  wilt  give 
us  a  little  help." 

"I'll  give  ye  all  the  help  ye  need,"  says  Kari;  "but 
what  do  ye  ask?" 

"To  fall  on  them,"  says  Helgi. 

Kari  says  that  so  it  shall  be.  So  they  pulled  up  to  them, 
and  then  the  battle  began  the  second  time;  but  when 
they  had  fought  a  little  while,  Kari  springs  up  on  Snow- 
coif's  ship;  he  turns  to  meet  him  and  smites  at  him  with 
his  sword.  Kari  leaps  nimbly  backwards  over  a  beam 
that  lay  athwart  the  ship,  and  Snowcolf  smote  the  beam 
so  that  both  edges  of  the  sword  were  hidden.  Then  Kari 
smites  at  him,  and  the  sword  fell  on  his  shoulder,  and  the 
stroke  was  so  mighty  that  he  cleft  in  twain  shoulder, 
arm,  and  all,  and  Snowcolf  got  his  death  there  and  then. 
Gritgard  hurled  a  spear  at  Kari,  but  Kari  saw  it  and 
sprang  up  aloft,  and  the  spear  missed  him.  Just  then 
Helgi  and  Grim  came  up  both  to  meet  Kari,  and  Helgi 
springs  on  Gritgard  and  thrusts  his  spear  through  him, 
and  that  was  his  death  blow ;  after  that  they  went  round 
the  whole  ship  on  both  boards,  and  then  men  begged 
for  mercy.  So  they  gave  them  all  peace,  but  took  all 
their  goods.  After  that  they  ran  all  the  ships  out  under 
the  islands. 


123 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 
CHAPTER  LI. 

HRAPP'S  VOYAGE    FROM    ICELAND. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Kolbein,  and  his  surname 
was  Arnljot's  son;  he  was  a  man  from  Drontheim;  he 
sailed  out  to  Iceland  that  same  summer  in  which  Kols- 
kegg  and  Njal's  sons  went  abroad.  He  was  that  winter 
east  in  Broaddale ;  but  the  spring  after,  he  made  his  ship 
ready  for  sea  in  Gautawick ;  and  when  men  were  almost 
"boun,"  a  man  rowed  up  to  them  in  a  boat,  and  made 
the  boat  fast  to  the  ship,  and  afterwards  he  went  on 
board  the  ship  to  see  Kolbein. 

Kolbein  asked  that  man  for  his  name. 

"My  name  is  Hrapp,"  says  he. 

"What  wilt  thou  with  me?"  says  Kolbein. 

"I  wish  to  ask  thee  to  put  me  across  the  Iceland  main." 

"Whose  son  art  thou  ?"  asks  Kolbein. 

"I  am  a  son  of  Aurgunleid,  the  son  of  Geirolf  the 
fighter." 

"What  need  lies  on  thee,"  asked  Kolbein,  "to  drive 
thee  abroad  ?" 

"I  have  slain  a  man,"  says  Hrapp. 

"What  manslaughter  was  that,"  says  Kolbein,  "and 
what  men  have  the  blood-feud?" 

"The  men  of  Weaponfirth,"  says  Hrapp,  "but  the  man 
I  slew  was  Aurlyg,  the  son  of  Aurlyg,  the  son  of  Roger 
the  white." 

"I  guess  this,"  says  Kolbein,  "that  he  will  have  the 
worst  of  it  who  bears  thee  abroad." 

"I  am  the  friend  of  my  friend,"  said  Hrapp,  "but  when 

124 


HRAPP'S  VOYAGGE  FROM  ICELAND 

ill  is  done  to  me  I  repay  it.  Nor  am  I  short  of  money  to 
lay  down  for  my  passage." 

Then  Kolbein  took  Hrapp  on  board,  and  a  little  while 
after  a  fair  breeze  sprung  up,  and  they  sailed  away  on 
the  sea. 

Hrapp  ran  short  of  food  at  sea,  and  then  he  sate  him 
down  at  the  mess  of  those  who  were  nearest  to  him. 
They  sprang  up  with  ill  words,  and  so  it  was  that  they 
came  to  blows,  and  Hrapp,  in  a  trice,  has  two  men  under 
him. 

Then  Kolbein  was  told,  and  he  bade  Hrapp  to  come 
and  share  his  mess,  and  he  accepted  that. 

Now  they  come  off  the  sea,  and  lie  outside  off  Agdir- 
ness. 

Then  Kolbein  asked  where  that  money  was  which  he 
had  offered  to  pay  for  his  fare? 

"It  is  out  in  Iceland,"  answers  Hrapp. 

"Thou  wilt  beguile  more  men  than  me,  I  fear,"  says 
Kolbein ;  "but  now  I  will  forgive  thee  all  the  fare." 

Hrapp  bade  him  have  thanks  for  that.  "But  what 
counsel  dost  thou  give  as  to  what  I  ought  to  do?" 

"That  first  of  all,"  he  says,  "that  thou  goest  from  the 
ship  as  soon  as  ever  thou  canst,  for  all  Easterlings  will 
bear  thee  bad  witness ;  but  there  is  yet  another  bit  of  good 
counsel  which  I  will  give  thee,  and  that  is,  never  to  cheat 
thy  master." 

Then  Hrapp  went  on  shore  with  his  weapons,  and  he 
had  a  great  axe  with  an  iron-bound  haft  in  his  hand. 

He  fares  on  and  on  till  he  comes  to  Gudbrand  of  the 
Dale.  He  was  the  greatest  friend  of  Earl  Hacon.  They 

125 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

two  had  a  shrine  between  them,  and  it  was  never  opened 
but  when  the  Earl  came  thither.  That  was  the  second 
greatest  shrine  in  Norway,  but  the  other  was  at  Hlada. 

Thrand  was  the  name  of  Gudbrand's  son,  but  his 
daughter's  name  was  Gudruna. 

Hrapp  went  in  before  Gudbrand,  and  hailed  him  well. 

He  asked  whence  he  came  and  what  was  his  name. 
Hrapp  told  him  about  himself,  and  how  he  had  sailed 
abroad  from  Iceland. 

After  that  he  asks  Gudbrand  to  take  him  into  his  house- 
hold as  a  guest. 

"It  does  not  seem,"  said  Gudbrand,  "to  look  on  thee, 
as  though  thou  wert  a  man  to  bring  good  luck." 

"Methinks,  then,"  says  Hrapp,  "that  all  I  have  heard 
about  thee  has  been  great  lies;  for  it  is  said  that  thou 
takest  every  one  into  thy  house  that  asks  thee;  and  that 
no  man  is  thy  match  for  goodness  and  kindness,  far  or 
near;  but  now  I  shall  have  to  speak  against  that  saying, 
if  thou  dost  not  take  me  in." 

"Well,  thou  shalt  stay  here,"  said  Gudbrand. 

"To  what  seat  wilt  thou  show  me?"  says  Hrapp. 

"To  one  on  the  lower  bench,  over  against  my  high 
seat." 

Then  Hrapp  went  and  took  his  seat.  He  was  able  to 
tell  of  many  things,  and  so  it  was  at  first  that  Gudbrand 
and  many  thought  it  sport  to  listen  to  him;  but  still  it 
came  about  that  most  men  thought  him  too  much  given 
to  mocking,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that  he  took  to  talking 
alone  with  Gudruna,  so  that  many  said  that  he  meant  to 
beguile  her. 

126 


HRAPP'S  VOYAGE  FROM  ICELAND 

But  when  Gudbrand  was  aware  of  that,  he  scolded  her 
much  for  daring-  to  talk  alone  with  him,  and  bade  her  be- 
ware of  speaking  aught  to  him  if  the  whole  household  did 
not  hear  it.  She  gave  her  word  to  be  good  at  first,  but 
still  it  was  soon  the  old  story  over  again  as  to  their  talk. 
Then  Gudbrand  got  Asvard,  his  overseer,  to  go  about 
with  her,  out  of  doors  and  in,  and  to  be  with  her  wherever 
she  went.  One  day  it  happened  that  she  begged  for  leave 
to  go  into  the  nut-wood  for  a  pastime,  and  Asvard  went 
along  with  her.  Hrapp  goes  to  seek  for  them  and  found 
them,  and  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  led  her  away  alone. 

Then  Asvard  went  to  look  for  her,  and  found  them 
both  together  stretched  on  the  grass  in  a  thicket. 

He  rushes  at  them,  axe  in  air,  and  smote  at  Hrapp's 
leg,  but  Hrapp  gave  himself  a  second  turn,  and  he  missed 
him.  Hrapp  springs  on  his  feet  as  quick  as  he  can,  and 
caught  up  his  axe.  Then  Asvard  wished  to  turn  and  get 
away,  but  Hrapp  hewed  asunder  his  back-bone. 

Then  Gudruna  said,  "Now  hast  thou  done  that  deed 
which  will  hinder  thy  stay  any  longer  with  my  father; 
but  still  there  is  something  behind  which  he  will  like  still 
less,  for  I  go  with  child." 

"He  shall  not  learn  this  from  others,"  says  Hrapp,  "but 
I  will  go  home  and  tell  him  both  these  tidings." 

"Then,"  she  says,  "thou  will  not  come  away  with  thy 
life." 

"I  will  run  the  risk  of  that,"  he  says. 

After  that  he  sees  her  back  to  the  other  women,  but  he 
went  home.  Gudbrand  sat  in  his  high  seat,  and  there 
were  few  men  in  the  hall. 

127 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Hrapp  went  in  before  him,  and  bore  his  axe  high. 

"Why  is  thine  axe  bloody?"  asks  Gudbrand. 

"I  made  it  so  by  doing  a  piece  of  work  on  thy  overseer 
Asvard's  back,"  says  Hrapp. 

"That  can  be  no  good  work,"  says  Gudbrand;  "thou 
must  have  slain  him." 

"So  it  is,  be  sure,"  says  Hrapp. 

"What  did  ye  fall  out  about?"  asks  Gudbrand. 

"Oh!"  says  Hrapp,  "what  you  would  think  small 
cause  enough.  He  wanted  to  hew  off  my  leg." 

"What  hast  thou  done  first?"  asked  Gudbrand. 

"What  he  had  no  right  to  meddle  with,"  says  Hrapp. 

"Still  thou  wilt  tell  me  what  it  was." 

"Well!"  said  Hrapp,  "if  thou  must  know,  I  lay  by  thy 
daughter's  side,  and  he  thought  that  bad." 

"Up  men !"  cried  Gudbrand,  "and  take  him.  He  shall 
be  slain  out  of  hand." 

"Very  little  good  wilt  thou  let  me  reap  of  my  son-in- 
law-ship,"  says  Hrapp,  "but  thou  hast  not  so  many  men 
at  thy  back  as  to  do  that  speedily." 

Up  they  rose,  but  he  sprang  out  of  doors.  They  run 
after  him,  but  he  got  away  to  the  wood,  and  they  could 
not  lay  hold  of  him. 

Then  Gudbrand  gathers  people,  and  lets  the  wood  be 
searched ;  but  they  find  him  not,  for  the  wood  was  great 
and  thick. 

Hrapp  fares  through  the  wood  till  he  came  to  a  clear- 
ing; there  he  found  a  house,  and  saw  a  man  outside 
cleaving  wood. 

He  asked  that  man  for  his  name,  and  he  said  his  name 
was  Tofi.  I2g 


HRAPP'S  VOYAGE  FROM  ICELAND 

Tofi  asked  him  for  his  name  in  turn,  and  Hrapp  told 
him  his  true  name. 

Hrapp  asked  why  the  householder  had  set  up  his  abode 
so  far  from  other  men? 

"For  that  here,"  he  says,  "I  think  I  am  less  likely  to 
have  brawls  with  other  men." 

"It  is  strange  how  we  beat  about  the  bush  in  our  talk," 
says  Hrapp,  "but  I  will  first  tell  thee  who  I  am.  I  have 
been  with  Gudbrand  of  the  Dale,  but  I  ran  away  thence 
because  I  slew  his  overseer ;  but  now  I  know  that  we  are 
both  of  us  bad  men;  for  thou  wouldst  not  have  come 
hither  away  from  other  men  unless  thou  wert  some  man's 
outlaw.  And  now  I  give  thee  two  choices,  either  that  I 
will  tell  where  thou  art,1  or  that  we  two  have  between  us, 
share  and  share  alike,  all  that  is  here." 

"This  is  even  as  thou  sayest,"  said  the  householder; 
"I  seized  and  carried  off  this  woman  who  is  here  with 
me,  and  many  men  have  sought  for  me." 

Then  he  led  Hrapp  in  with  him;  there  was  a  small 
house  there,  but  well  built. 

The  master  of  the  house  told  his  mistress  that  he  had 
taken  Hrapp  into' his  company. 

"Most  men  will  get  ill  luck  from  this  man,"  she  says; 
"but  thou  wilt  have  thy  way." 

So  Hrapp  was  there  after  that.  He  was  a  great  wan- 
derer, and  was  never  at  home.  He  still  brings  about 
meetings  with  Gudruna ;  her  father  and  brother,  Thrand 
and  Gudbrand,  lay  in  wait  for  him,  but  they  could  never 
get  nigh  him,  and  so  all  that  year  passed  away. 

JBy  so  doing  Hrapp  would  have  cleared  himself  of  his  own  outlawry. 

129 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Gudbrand  sent  and  told  Earl  Hacon  what  trouble  he 
had  had  with  Hrapp,  and  the  Earl  let  him  be  made  an  out- 
law, and  laid  a  price  upon  his  head.  He  said  too,  that  he 
would  go  himself  to  look  after  him;  but  that  passed  off, 
and  the  Earl  thought  it  easy  enough  for  them  to  catch 
him'  when  he  went  about  so  unwarily. 

CHAPTER  LII. 

THE  QUARREL  Of  NJAI/S  SONS  WITH  THRAIN  SIGEUS'  SON. 

HRAPP  owned  a  farm  at  Hrappstede,  but  for  all  that 
he  was  always  at  Gritwater,  and  he  was  thought  to  spoil 
everything  there.  Thrain  was  good  to  him. 

Once  on  a  time  it  happened  that  Kettle  of  the  Mark 
was  at  Bergthorsknoll ;  then  Njal's  sons  told  him  of  their 
wrongs  and  hardships,  and  said  they  had  much  to  lay  at 
Thrain  Sigfus'  son's  door,  whenever  they  chose  to  speak 
about  it. 

Njal  said  it  would  be  best  that  Kettle  should  talk  with 
his  brother  Thrain  about  it,  and  he  gave  his  word  to 
do  so. 

So  they  gave  Kettle  breathing  time  to  talk  to  Thrain. 

A  little  while  after  they  spoke  of  the  matter  again  to 
Kettle,  but  he  said  that  he  would  repeat  few  of  the  words 
that  had  passed  between  them,  "for  it  was  pretty  plain 
that  Thrain  thought  I  set  too  great  store  on  being  your 
brother-in-law." 

Then  they  dropped  talking  about  it,  and  thought  they 
saw  that  things  looked  ugly,  and  so  they  asked  their 
father  for  his  counsel  as  to  what  was  to  be  done,  but  they 
told  him  they  would  not  let  things  rest  as  they  then  stood. 

130 


THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON'S  SLAYING 
CHAPTER  LIII. 

THRAIN    SIGFUS'    SON^S   STAYING. 

Now  there  was  great  talk  about  this  quarrel  of  theirs, 
and  all  seemed  to  know  that  it  would  not  settle  down 
peacefully. 

Runolf,  the  son  of  Wolf  Aurpriest,  east  in  the  Dale, 
was  a  great  friend  of  Thrain's,  and  had  asked  Thrain  to 
come  and  see  him,  and  it  was  settled  that  he  should  come 
east  when  about  three  weeks  or  a  month  were  wanting 
to  winter. 

Thrain  bade  Hrapp,  and  Grani,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's 
son,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Lodinn,  and  Tjorvi, 
eight  of  them  in  all,  to  go  on  this  journey  with  him.  Hall- 
gerda  and  Thorgerda  were  to  go  too.  At  the  same  time 
Thrain  gave  it  out  that  he  meant  to  stay  in  the  Mark 
with  his  brother  Kettle,  and  said  how  many  nights  he 
meant  to  be  away  from  home. 

They  all  of  them  had  full  arms.  So  they  rode  east 
across  Markfleet,  and  found  there  some  gangrel  women, 
and  they  begged  them  to  put  them  across  the  Fleet  west 
on  their  horses,  and  they  did  so. 

Then  they  rode  into  the  Dale,  and  had  a  hearty  wel- 
come ;  there  Kettle  of  the  Mark  met  them,  and  there  they 
sate  two  nights. 

Both  Runolf  and  Kettle  besought  Thrain  that  he  would 
make  up  his  quarrel  with  Njal's  sons;  but  he  said  he 
would  never  pay  any  money,  and  answered  crossly,  for 
he  said  he  thought  himself  quite  a  match  for  Njal's  sons 
wherever  they  met. 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"So  it  may  be,"  says  Runolf,  "but  so  far  as  I  can  see, 
no  man  has  been  their  match  since  Gunnar  of  Lithend 
died,  and  it  is  likelier  that  ye  will  both  drag  one  another 
down  to  death." 

Thrain  said  that  was  not  to  be  dreaded. 

Then  Thrain  fared  up  into  the  Mark,  and  was  there 
two  nights  more;  after  that  he  rode  down  into  the  Dale, 
and  was  sent  away  from  both  houses  with  fitting  gifts. 

Now  the  Markfleet  was  then  flowing  between  sheets  of 
ice  on  both  sides,  and  there  were  tongues  of  ice  bridging 
it  across  every  here  and  there. 

Thrain  said  that  he  meant  to  ride  home  that  evening, 
but  Runolf  said  that  he  ought  not  to  ride  home;  he  said, 
too,  that  it  would  be  more  wary  not  to  fare  back  as  he 
had  said  he  would  before  he  left  home. 

"That  is  fear,  and  I  will  none  of  it,"  answers  Thrain. 

Now  those  gangrel  women  whom  they  had  put  across 
the  Fleet  came  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  Bergthora  asked 
whence  they  came,  but  they  answered,  "Away  east  under 
Eyjafell." 

"Then,  who  put  you  across  Markfleet?"  said  Berg- 
thora. 

"Those,"  said  they,  "who  were  the  most  boastful  and 
bravest  clad  of  men." 

"Who?"  asked  Bergthora. 

"Thrain  Sigfus'  son,"  said  they,  "and  his  company, 
but  we  thought  it  best  to  tell  thee  that  they  were  so  full- 
tongued  and  foul-tongued  towards  this  house,  against  thy 
husband  and  his  sons." 

"Listeners  do  not  often  hear  good  of  themselves,"  says 

132 


THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON'S   SLAYING 

Bergthora.  After  that  they  went  their  way,  and  Berg- 
thora  gave  them  gifts  on  their  going,  and  asked  them 
when  Thrain  might  be  coming  home. 

They  said  he  would  be  from  home  four  or  five  nights. 

After  that  Bergthora  told  her  sons  and  her  son-in-law 
Kari,  and  they  talked  long  and  low  about  the  matter. 

But  that  same  morning,  when  Thrain  and  his  men  rode 
from  the  east,  Njal  woke  up  early  and  heard  how  Skarp- 
hedinn's  axe  came  against  the  panel. 

Then  Njal  rises  up,  and  goes  out,  and  sees  that  his 
sons  are  all  there  with  their  weapons,  and  Kari,  his  son- 
in-law  too.  Skarphedinn  was  foremost.  He  was  in  a 
blue  cape,  and  had  a  targe,  and  his  axe  aloft  on  his  shoul- 
der. Next  to  him  went  Helgi ;  he  was  in  a  red  kirtle,  had 
a  helm  on  his  head,  and  a  red  shield,  on  which  a  hart  was 
marked.  Next  to  him  went  Kari ;  he  had  on  a  silken  jer- 
kin, a  gilded  helm  and  shield,  and  on  it  was  drawn  a  lion. 
They  were  all  in  bright  holiday  clothes. 

Njal  called  out  to  Skarphedinn — 

"Whither  art  thou  going,  kinsman?" 

"On  a  sheep  hunt,"  he  said. 

"So  it  was  once  before,"  said  Njal,  "but  then  ye 
hunted  men." 

Skarphedinn  laughed  at  that,  and  said — 

"Hear  ye  what  the  old  man  says?  He  is  not  without 
his  doubts." 

"When  was  it  that  thou  spokest  thus  before?"  asks 
Kari. 

"When  I  slew  Sigmund  the  white,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"Gunnar  of  Lithend's  kinsman." 

133 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"For  what?"  asks  Kari. 

"He  had  slain  Thord  Freedmanson,  my  foster-father." 

Njal  went  home,  but  they  fared  up  into  the  Redslips, 
and  bided  there ;  thence  they  could  see  the  others  as  soon 
as  ever  they  rode  from  the  east  out  of  the  dale. 

There  was  sunshine  that  day  and  bright  weather. 

Now  Thrain  and  his  men  ride  down  out  of  the  Dale 
along  the  river  bank. 

Lambi  Sigurd's  son  said — 

"Shields  gleam  away  yonder  in  the  Redslips  when  the 
sun  shines  on  them,  and  there  must  be  some  men  lying 
in  wait  there." 

"Then,"  says  Thrain,  "we  will  turn  our  way  lower 
down  the  Fleet,  and  then  they  will  come  to  meet  us  if 
they  have  any  business  with  us." 

So  they  turn  down  the  Fleet.  "Now  they  have  caught 
sight  of  us,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "for  lo!  they  turn  their 
path  elsewhither,  and  now  we  have  no  other  choice  than 
to  run  down  and  meet  them." 

"Many  men,"  said  Kari,  "would  rather  not  lie  in  wait 
if  the  balance  of  force  were  not  more  on  their  side  than 
it  is  on  ours ;  they  are  eight,  but  we  are  five." 

Now  they  turn  down  along  the  Fleet,  and  see  a  tongue 
of  ice  bridging  the  stream  lower  down  and  mean  to  cross 
there. 

Thrain  and  his  men  take  their  stand  upon  the  ice  away 
from  the  tongue,  and  Thrain  said — 

"What  can  these  men  want?  They  are  five,  and  we 
are  eight." 

134 


THRAIN  SIGFUS'  SON'S   SLAYING 

"I  guess,"  said  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  "that  they  would 
still  run  the  risk  though  more  men  stood  against  them." 

Thrain  throws  off  his  cloak,  and  takes  off  his  helm. 

Now  it  happened  to  Skarphedinn,  as  they  ran  down 
along  the  Fleet,  that  his  shoe-string  snapped  asunder,  and 
he  stayed  behind. 

"Why  so  slow,  Skarphedinn?"  quoth  Grim. 

"I  am  tying  my  shoe,"  he  says. 

"Let  us  get  on  ahead,"  says  Kari;  "methinks  he  will 
not  be  slower  than  we." 

So  they  turn  off  to  the  tongue  and  run  as  fast  as  they 
can.  Skarphedinn  sprang  up  as  soon  as  he  was  ready, 
and  had  lifted  his  axe,  "the  ogress  of  war,"  aloft,  and 
runs  right  down  to  the  Fleet.  But  the  Fleet  was  so  deep 
that  there  was  no  fording  it  for  a  long  way  up  or  down. 

A  great  sheet  of  ice  had  been  thrown  up  by  the  flood 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Fleet  as  smooth  and  slippery  as 
glass,  and  there  Thrain  and  his  men  stood  in  the  midst 
of  the  sheet. 

Skarphedinn  takes  a  spring  into  the  air,  and  leaps  over 
the  stream  between  the  icebanks,  and  does  not  check  his 
course,  but  rushes  still  onwards  with  a  slide.  The  sheet 
of  ice  was  very  slippery,  and  so  he  went  as  fast  as  a  bird 
flies.  Thrain  was  just  about  to  put  his  helm  on  his  head ; 
and  now  Skarphedinn  bore  down  on  them,  and  hews  at 
Thrain  with  his  axe,  "the  ogress  of  war,"  and  smote  him 
on  the  head,  and  clove  him  down  to  the  teeth,  so  that  his 
jaw-teeth  fell  out  on  the  ice.  This  feat  was  done  with 
such  a  quick  sleight  that  no  one  could  get  a  blow  at  him ; 
he  glided  away  from  them  at  once  at  full  speed.  Tjorvi, 

135 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

indeed,  threw  his  shield  before  him  on  the  ice,  but  he 
leapt  over  it,  and  still  kept  his  feet,  and  slid  quite  to  the 
end  of  the  sheet  of  ice. 

There  Kari  and  his  brothers  came  to  meet  him. 

"This  was  done  like  a  man,"  says  Kari. 

"Your  share  is  still  left,"  says  Skarphedinn. 

Then  they  turn  up  towards  them.  Both  Grim  and 
Helgi  see  where  Hrapp  is,  and  they  turned  on  him  at  once. 
Hrapp  hews  at  Grim  there  and  then  with  his  axe ;  Helgi 
sees  this  and  cuts  at  Hrapp's  arm,  and  cut  it  off,  and  down 
fell  the  axe. 

"In  this,"  says  Hrapp,  "thou  hast  done  a  most  need- 
ful work,  for  this  hand  hath  wrought  harm  and  death 
to  many  a  man." 

"And  so  here  an  end  shall  be  put  to  it."  says  Grim; 
and  with  that  he  ran  him  through  with  a  spear,  and  then 
Hrapp  fell  down  dead. 

Tjorvi  turns  against  Kari  and  hurls  a  spear  at  him. 
Kari  leapt  up  in  the  air,  and  the  spear  flew  below  his  feet. 
Then  Kari  rushes  at  him,  and  hews  at  him  on  the  breast 
with  his  sword,  and  the  blow  passed  at  once  into  his 
chest,  and  he  got  his  death  there  and  then. 

Then  Skarphedinn  seizes  both  Gunnar  Lambi's  son, 
and  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  and  said — 

"Here  have  I  caught  two  whelps!  but  what  shall  we 
do  with  them?" 

"It  is  in  thy  power,"  says  Helgi,  "to  slay  both  or  either 
of  them,  if  you  wish  them  dead." 

'I  cannot  find  it  in  my  heart  to  do  both — help  Hogni 
and  slay  his  brother,"  says  Skarphedinn. 

136 


indct  r>re  him  ice,  but 

quite  to  the 

end 

;vet  him. 

in. 
Grim  and 

-  e  w  here  H  vaoi>  i  s  ai  i  r>nce- 

TH£  DEATH   QF  EARL  HACON.      (.     1 

pp  hews  at  Uhm  UK 

•>d  down 

e    several    Hacons   in   Norwegian   history,  but   the 
id   II::.  -on  of   Harold 

ana  cieaui 

to  nave  been 
l.a"  Thrall,  presumably  while  the  Earl  was  hu»t- 

,.„ 
Sa£falls1tates'  tKatlhe  "killing  was  bv  c 

a#k4b^tlk^Uftt  ^tr^ly^ffinr 

ffysqyf)  ff^hck>WHmietetL  position  in  the  thick  wood,  similar  to 

tbi*. 


»..w  Kari  ru  him,  and  hews  at  him,  on  the 

with  hi  .  and  the  blow  passed  at  once  into  his 

chest,  and  he  got  his  death  there  and  then. 

Then  Skarphc  l>oth  Gunnar  Lambi's  son, 

and  Grani  Gunr».  and  said — 

iere  have  I  caught  two  whelps!  but  what  shall 
do  with  them?" 

"It  is  in  thy  power  '.  telgi,  "to  slay  both  or  ei 

of  them,  if  you  wish  them  dead." 

•      'I  cannot  find  it  in  my  heart  to  do  both— help  Hogni 
and  slay  his  brother,"  say/  Skarphedinn. 

136 


OF  THE  CHANGE  OF  FAITH 

"Then  the  day  will  once  come,"  says  Helgi,  "when 
thou  wilt  wish  that  thou  hadst  slain  him,  for  never  will 
he  be  true  to  thee,  nor  will  any  one  of  the  others  who  are 
now  here." 

"I  shall  not  fear  them,"  answers  Skarphedinn. 

After  that  they  gave  peace  to  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  and 
Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Lo- 
dinn. 

After  that  they  went  down  to  the  Fleet  where  Skarp- 
hedinn had  leapt  over  it,  and  Kari  and  the  others  meas- 
ured the  length  of  the  leap  with  their  spear-shafts,  and  it 
was  twelve  ells  (about  eighteen  feet,  according  to  the  old 
Norse  measure). 

Then  they  turned  homewards,  and  Njal  asked  what 
tidings.  They  told  him  all  just  as  it  had  happened,  and 
Njal  said — 

"These  are  great  tidings,  and  it  is  more  likely  that 
hence  will  come  the  death  of  one  of  my  sons,  if  not  more 
evil." 

Gunnar  Lambi's  son  bore  the  body  of  Thrain  with  him 
to  Gritwater,  and  he  was  laid  in  a  cairn  there. 

CHAPTER  LIV. 
OF  THE;  CHANGE  of  FAITH. 

THERE  had  been  a  change  of  rulers  in  Norway,  Earl 
Hacon  was  dead  and  gone,  but  in  his  stead  was  come  Olaf 
Tryggvi's  son.  That  was  the  end  of  Earl  Hacon,  that 
Kark,  the  thrall,  cut  his  throat  at  Rimul  in  Gaulardale. 

Along  with  that  was  heard  that  there  had  been  a  change 
of  faith  in  Norway ;  they  had  cast  off  the  old  faith,  but 

137 
12 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

King  Olaf  had  christened  the  western  lands,  Shetland, 
and  the  Orkneys,  and  the  Faroe  Isles. 

Then  many  men  spoke  so  that  Njal  heard  it,  that  it 
was  a  strange  and  wicked  thing  to  throw  off  the  old  faith. 

Then  Njal  spoke  and  said — 

"It  seems  to  me  as  though  this  new  faith  must  be  much 
better,  and  he  will  be  happy  who  follows  this  rather  than 
the  other ;  and  if  these  men  come  out  hither  who  preach 
this  faith,  then  I  will  back  them  well." 

He  went  often  alone  away  from  other  men  and  mut- 
tered to  himself.  ^ 

That  same  harvest  a  ship  came  out  into  the  firths  east 
to  Berufirth,  at  a  spot  called  Gautawick.  The  captain's 
name  was  Thangbrand.  He  was  a  son  of  Willibald,  a 
count  of  Saxony.  Thangbrand  was  sent  out  hither  by 
King  Olaf  Tryggvi's  son,  to  preach  the  faith.  Along  with 
him  came  that  man  of  Iceland  whose  name  was  Gudleif. 
Gudleif  was  a  great  man-slayer,  and  one  of  the  strongest 
of  men,  and  hardy  and  forward  in  everything. 

Two  brothers  dwelt  at  Beruness ;  the  name  of  the  one 
was  Thorleif,  but  the  other  was  Kettle.  They  were  sons 
of  Holmstein,  the  son  of  Auzur  of  Broaddale.  These 
brothers  held  a  meeting,  and  forbade  men  to  have  any 
dealings  with  them.  This  Hall  of  the  Side  heard.  He 
dwelt  at  Thvattwater  in  Alftafirth;  he  rode  to  the  ship 
with  twenty-nine  men,  and  he  fares  at  once  to  find 
Thangbrand,  and  spoke  to  him  and  asked  him — 

"Trade  is  rather  dull,  is  it  not  ?" 

He  answered  that  so  it  was. 

"Now  will  I  say  my  errand,"  says  Hall;  "it  is,  that  I 

138 


OF  THANGBRAND'S  JOURNEYS 

wish  to  ask  you  all  to  my  house,  and  run  the  risk  of  my 
being  able  to  get  rid  of  your  wares  for  you." 

Thangbrand  thanked  him,  and  fared  to  Thvattwater 
that  harvest. 

It  so  happened  one  morning  that  Thangbrand  was  out 
early  and  made  them  pitch  a  tent  on  land,  and  sang  mass 
in  it,  and  took  much  pains  with  it,  for  it  was  a  great  high 
day. 

Hall  spoke  to  Thangbrand,  and  asked,  "In  memory  of 
whom  keepest  thou  this  day  ?" 

"In  memory  of  Michael  the  archangel,"  says  Thang- 
brand. 

"What  follows  that  angel  ?"  asks  Hall. 

"Much  good,"  says  Thangbrand.  "He  will  weigh  all 
the  good  that  thou  doest,  and  he  is  so  merciful,  that  when- 
ever any  one  pleases  him,  he  makes  his  good  deeds 
weigh  more." 

"I  would  like  to  have  him  for  my  friend,"  says  Hall. 

"That  thou  mayest  well  have,"  says  Thangbrand,  "only 
give  thyself  over  to  him  by  God's  help  this  very  day." 

"I  only  make  this  condition,"  says  Hall,  "that  thou 
givest  thy  word  for  him  that  he  will  then  become  my 
guardian  angel." 

"That  I  will  promise,"  says  Thangbrand. 

Then  Hall  was  baptised,  and  all  his  household. 

CHAPTER  LV. 
OF  THANGBRAND'S  JOURNEYS. 

THE:  spring  after  Thangbrand  set  out  to  preach  Chris- 
tianity, and  Hall  went  with  him.  But  when  they  came 

139 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

west  across  Lonsheath  to  Staffell,  there  they  found  a  man 
dwelling  named  Thorkell.  He  spoke  most  against  the 
faith,  and  challenged  Thangbrand  to  single  combat.  Then 
Thangbrand  bore  a  rood-cross  (crucifix)  before  his  shield 
and  the  end  of  their  combat  was  that  Thangbrand  won 
the  day  and  slew  Thorkell. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Hornfirth  and  turned  in  as  guests 
at  Borgarhaven,  west  of  Heinabergs  sand.  There  Hill- 
dir  the  old  dwelt,  and  then  Hilldir  and  all  his  household 
took  upon  them  the  new  faith. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Fellcombe,  and  went  in  as  guests 
to  Calffell.  There  dwelt  Kol  Thorstein's  son,  Hall's 
kinsman,  and  he  took  upon  him  the  faith  and  all  his  house. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Swinefell,  and  Flosi  only  took 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  but  gave  his  word  to  back  them 
at  the  Thing. 

Thence  they  fared  west  to  Woodcombe,  and  went  in  as 
guests  at  Kirkby.  There  dwelt  Surt  Asbjorn's  son,  the 
son  of  Thorstein,  the  son  of  Kettle  the  foolish.  These 
had  all  of  them  been  Christians  from  father  to  son. 

After  that  they  fared  out  of  Woodcombe  on  to  Head- 
brink.  By  that  time  the  story  of  their  journey  was 
spread  far  and  wide.  There  was  a  man  named  Sorcerer- 
Hedinn  who  dwelt  in  Carlinedale.  There  heathen  men 
made  a  bargain  with  him  that  he  should  put  Thangbrand 
to  death  with  all  his  company.  He  fared  upon  Arnstack- 
sheath,  and  there  made  a  great  sacrifice  when  Thangbrand 
was  riding  from  the  east.  Then  the  earth  burst  asunder 
under  his  horse,  but  he  sprang  off  his  horse  and  saved 
himself  on  the  brink  of  the  gulf,  but  the  earth  swallowed 

140 


OF  THANGBRAND  AND  GUDLEIF 

up  the  horse  and  all  his  harness,  and  they  never  saw  him 
more. 

Then  Thangbrand  praised  God. 

CHAPTER  LVI. 

OF  THANGBRAND  AND  GUDLEIF. 

GUDLEIF  now  searches  for  Sorcerer-Hedinn  and  finds 
him  on  the  heath,  and  chases  him  down  into  Carlinedale, 
and  got  within  spearshot  of  him,  and  shoots  a  spear  at 
him  and  through  him. 

Thence  they  fared  to  Dyrholms  and  held  a  meeting 
there,  and  preached  the  faith  there,  and  there  Ingialld, 
the  son  of  Thorsteinn  Highbankawk,  became  a  Chris- 
tian. 

Thence  they  fared  to  the  Fleetlithe  and  preached  the 
faith  there.  There  Weatherlid  the  Skald,  and  Ari  his 
son,  spoke  most  against  the  faith,  and  for  that  they  slew 
Weatherlid. 

Thence  Thangbrand  fared  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  Njal 
took  the  faith  and  all  his  house,  but  Mord  and  Valgard 
went  much  against  it,  and  thence  they  fared  out  across 
the  rivers ;  so  they  went  on  into  Hawkdale  and  there  they 
baptised  Hall,  and  he  was  then  three  winters  old. 

Thence  Thangbrand  fared  to  Grimsness,  there  Thor- 
wald  the  scurvy  gathered  a  band  against  him,  and  sent 
word  to  Wolf  Uggi's  son,  that  he  must  fare  against 
Thangbrand  and  slay  him. 

"And,"  says  he,  "I  don't  mean  to  be  made  a  catspaw 
by  him,  but  let  him  take  heed  lest  his  tongue  twists  a 
noose  for  his  own  neck." 

141 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

And  after  that  the  messenger  fared  back  to  Thorwald 
the  scurvy  and  told  him  Wolf's  words.  Thorwald  had 
many  men  about  him,  and  gave  it  out  that  he  would  lie 
in  wait  for  them  on  Bluewood-heath. 

Now  those  two,  Thangbrand  and  Gudleif,  ride  out  of 
Hawkdale,  and  there  they  came  upon  a  man  who  rode 
to  meet  them.  That  man  asked  for  Gudleif,  and  when 
he  found  him  he  said — 

"Thou  shalt  gain  by  being  the  brother  of  Thorgil  of 
Reykiahole,  for  I  will  let  thee  know  that  they  have  set 
many  ambushes,  and  this  too,  that  Thorwald  the  scurvy 
is  now  with  his  band  at  Hestbeck  on  Grimsness." 

"We  shall  not  the  less  for  all  that  ride  to  meet  him," 
says  Gudleif,  and  then  they  turned  down  to  Hestbeck. 
Thorwald  was  then  come  across  the  brook,  and  Gudleif 
said  to  Thangbrand — 

"Here  is  now  Thorwald;  let  us  rush  on  him  now." 
Thangbrand  shot  a  spear  through  Thorwald,  but  Gudleif 
smote  him  on  the  shoulder  and  hewed  his  arm  off,  and 
that  was  his  death. 

After  that  they  ride  up  to  the  Thing,  and  it  was  a  near 
thing  that  the  kinsmen  of  Thorwald  had  fallen  on  Thang- 
brand, but  Njal  and  the  eastfirthers  stood  by  Thangbrand. 

Hjallti  fared  abroad  that  summer  and  Gizur  the  white 
with  him,  but  Thangbrand's  ship  was  wrecked  away  east 
at  Bulandsness,  and  the  ship's  name  was  "Bison." 

Thangbrand  and  his  messmate  fared  right  through  the 
west  country,  and  Steinvora,  the  mother  of  Ref  the 
Skald,  came  against  him ;  she  preached  the  heathen  faith 
to  Thangbrand  and  made  him  a  long  speech.  Thang- 

142 


OF  GEST  ODDLEIF'S  SON 

brand  held  his  peace  while  she  spoke,  but  made  a  long 
speech  after  her,  and  turned  all  that  she  had  said  the 
wrong  way  against  her. 

"Hast  thou  heard,"  she  said,  "how  *Thor  challenged 
Christ  to  single  combat,  and  how  he  did  not  dare  to  fight 
with  Thor?" 

"I  have  heard  tell,"  says  Thangbrand,  "that  Thor  was 
naught  but  dust  and  ashes,  if  God  had  not  willed  that 
he  should  live." 

"Knowest  thou,"  she  says,  "who  it  was  that  shattered 
thy  ship?" 

"What  hast  thou  to  say  about  that?"  he  asks. 

"That  I  will  tell  thee,"  she  says. 

He  that  giant's  offspring  (Thor)  slayeth 
Broke  the  mew-field's  bison  stout  (ship), 
Thus  the  Gods,  bell's  warder1  grieving, 
Crushed  the  falcon  of  the  strand  (ship); 
To  the  courser  of  the  causeway  (ship) 
Little  good  was  Christ  I  ween, 
When  Thor  shattered  ships  to  pieces 
Gylfi's  hart  (ship)  no  God  could  help. 

After  that  Thangbrand  and  Steinvora  parted,  and  they 
fared  west  to  Bardastrand. 

CHAPTER  LVII. 
OF  GEST  ODDLEIF'S  SON. 

GEST  ODDLEIF'S  son  dwelt  at  Hagi  on  Bardastrand. 
He  was  one  of  the  wisest  of  men,  so  that  he  foresaw  the 
fates  and  fortunes  of  men.  He  made  a  feast  for  Thang- 
brand and  his  men.  They  fared  to  Hagi  with  sixty  men, 

1"Bell's  warder,"  the  Christian  priest  whose  bell-ringing  formed   part 
of  the  rites  of  the  new  faith. 

143 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  it  was  said  that  there  were  two  hundred  heathen 
men  to  meet  them,  and  that  a  Baresark  was  looked  for  to 
come  thither,  whose  name  was  Otrygg,  and  all  were 
afraid  of  him.  Of  him  such  great  things  as  these  were 
said,  that  he  feared  neither  fire  nor  sword,  and  the  heathen 
men  were  sore  afraid  at  his  coming.  Then  Thangbrand 
asked  if  men  were  willing  to  take  the  faith,  but  all  the 
heathen  men  spoke  against  it. 

"Well,"  says  Thangbrand,  "I  will  give  you  the  means 
whereby  ye  shall  prove  whether  my  faith  is  better.  We 
will  hallow  two  fires.  The  heathen  men  shall  hallow  one 
and  I  the  other,  but  a  third  shall  be  unhallowed;  and  if 
the  Baresark  is  afraid  of  the  one  that  I  hallow,  but  treads 
both  the  others,  then  ye  shall  take  the  faith." 

"That  is  well-spoken,"  says  Gest,  "and  I  will  agree  to 
this  for  myself  and  my  household." 

And  when  Gest  had  so  spoken,  many  more  agreed  to  it. 

Then  it  was  said  that  the  Baresark  was  coming  up  to 
the  homestead,  and  then  the  fires  were  made  and  burned 
strong.  Then  men  took  their  arms  and  sprang  up  on  the 
benches,  and  so  waited. 

The  Baresark  rushed  in  with  his  weapons.  He  comes 
into  the  room,  and  treads  at  once  the  fire  which  the  heath- 
en men  had  hallowed,  and  so  comes  to  the  fire  that 
Thangbrand  had  hallowed,  and  dares  not  to  tread  it,  but 
said  that  he  was  on  fire  all  over.  He  hews  with  his 
sword  at  the  bench,  but  strikes  a  crossbeam  as  he  bran- 
dished the  weapon  aloft.  Thangbrand  smote  the  arm  of 
the  Baresark  with  his  crucifix,  and  so  mighty  a  token  fol- 
lowed that  the  sword  fell  from  the  Baresark's  hand. 

144 


OF  GEST  ODDLEIF'S  SON 

Then  Thangbrand  thrusts  a  sword  into  his  breast,  and 
Gudleif  smote  him  on  the  arm  and  hewed  it  off.  Then 
many  went  up  and  slew  the  Baresark. 

After  that  Thangbrand  asked  if  they  would  take  the 
faith  now  ? 

Gest  said  he  had  only  spoken  what  he  meant  to  keep  to. 

Then  Thangbrand  baptised  Gest  and  all  his  house  and 
many  others.  Then  Thangbrand  took  counsel  with  Gest 
whether  he  should  go  any  further  west  among  the  firths, 
but  Gest  set  his  face  against  that,  and  said  they  were  a 
hard  race  of  men  there,  and  ill  to  deal  with,  "but  if  it  be 
foredoomed  that  this  faith  shall  make  its  way,  then  it  will 
be  taken  as  law  at  the  Althing,  and  then  all  the  chiefs 
out  of  the  districts  will  be  there." 

"I  did  all  that  I  could  at  the  Thing,"  says  Thangbrand, 
"and  it  was  very  uphill  work." 

"Still  thou  hast  done  most  of  the  work,"  says  Gest, 
"though  it  may  be  fated  that  others  shall  make  Chris- 
tianity law;  but  it  is  here  as  the  saying  runs,  "No  tree 
falls  at  the  first  stroke." 

After  that  Gest  gave  Thangbrand  good  gifts,  and  he 
fared  back  south.  Thangbrand  fared  to  the  Southland- 
er's  Quarter,  and  so  to  the  Eastfirths.  He  turned  in  as  a 
guest  at  Bergthorsknoll,  and  Njal  gave  him  good  gifts. 
Thence  he  rode  east  to  Alftafirth  to  meet  Hall  of  the 
Side.  He  caused  his  ship  to  be  mended,  and  heathen 
men  called  it  "Iron-basket."  On  board  that  ship  Thrang- 
brand  fared  abroad,  and  Gudleif  with  him. 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 
CHAPTER  LVIII. 

OE  GIZUR   THE  WHITE  AND   HJALLTI. 

THAT  same  summer  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  was  out- 
lawed at  the  Thing  for  blasphemy  against  the  Gods. 

Thangbrand  told  King  Olaf  of  all  the  mischief  that  the 
Icelanders  had  done  to  him,  and  said  that  they  were 
such  sorcerers  there  that  the  earth,  burst  asunder  under 
his  horse  and  swallowed  up  the  horse. 

Then  King  Olaf  was  so  wroth  that  he  made  them 
seize  all  the  men  from  Iceland  and  set  them  in  dungeons, 
and  meant  to  slay  them. 

Then  they,  Gizur  the  white  and  Hjallti,  came  up  ana 
offered  to  lay  themselves  in  pledge  for  those  men,  and 
fare  out  to  Iceland  and  preach  the  faith.  The  king  took 
this  well,  and  they  got  them  all  set  free  again. 

Then  Gizur  and  Hjallti  busked  (prepared)  their  ship 
for  Iceland,  and  were  soon  "boun"  (ready).  They  made 
the  land  at  Eyrar  when  ten  weeks  of  summer  had  passed ; 
they  got  them  horses  at  once,  but  left  other  men  to  strip 
their  ship.  Then  they  ride  with  thirty  men  to  the  Thing, 
and  sent  word  to  the  Christian  men  that  they  must  be 
ready  to  stand  by  them. 

Hjallti  stayed  behind  at  Reydarmull,  for  he  had  heard 
that  he  had  been  made  an  outlaw  for  blasphemy,  but 
when  they  came  to  the  "Boiling  Kettle"  (hot  spring) 
down  below  the  brink  of  Raven  Rift,  there  came  Hjallti 
after  them,  and  said  he  would  not  let  the  heathen  men  see 
that  he  was  afraid  of  them. 

Then  many  Christian  men  rode  to  meet  them,  and  they 

146 


THE  WEDDING  OF  HAUSKULD 

ride  in  battle  array  to  the  Thing.  The  heathen  men  had 
drawn  up  their  men  in  array  to  meet  them,  and  it  was  a 
near  thing  that  the  whole  body  of  the  Thing  had  come 
to  blows,  but  still  it  did  not  go  so  far. 

CHAPTER  LIX. 

THE  WEDDING  OF  HAUSKULD,  THE  PRIEST  OF  WHITENESS. 

Now  we  must  take  up  the  story,  and  say  that  Njal 
spoke  thus  to  Hauskuld,  his  foster-son,  and  said — 

"I  would  seek  thee  a  match." 

Hauskuld  bade  him  settle  the  matter  as  he  pleased,  and 
asked  whether  he  was  most  likely  to  turn  his  eyes. 

"There  is  a  woman  called  Hildigunna,"  answers  Njal, 
"and  she  is  the  daughter  of  Starkad,  the  son  of  Thord 
Freystriest.  She  is  the  best  match  I  know  of." 

"See  thou  to  it,  foster-father,"  said  Hauskuld;  "that 
shall  be  my  choice  which  thou  choosest." 

"Then  we  will  look  thitherward,"  says  Njal 

A  little  while  after,  Njal  called  on  men  to  go  along 
with  him.  Then  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  Njal's  sons,  and 
Kari  Solmund's  son,  all  of  them  fared  with  him  and  they 
rode  east  to  Swinefell. 

There  they  got  a  hearty  welcome. 

The  day  after,  Njal  and  Flosi  went  to  talk  alone,  and 
the  speech  of  Njal  ended  thus,  that  he  said — 

"This  is  my  errand  here,  that  we  have  set  out  on  a 
wooing- journey  to  ask  for  thy  kinswoman  Hildigunna." 

"At  whose  hand  ?"  says  Flosi. 

"At  the  hand  of  Hauskuld  my  foster-son,"  says  Njal. 

"Such  things  are  well  meant,"  says  Flosi,  "but  still  ye 

147 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

run  each  of  you  great  risk,  the  one  from  the  other ;  but 
what  hast  thou  to  say  of  Hauskuld  ?" 

"Good  I  am  able  to  say  of  him,"  says  Njal ;  "and  be- 
sides, I  will  lay  down  as  much  money  as  will  seem  fitting 
to  thy  niece  and  thyself,  if  thou  wilt  think  of  making  this 
match." 

"We  will  call  her  hither,"  says  Flosi,  "and  know  how 
she  looks  on  the  man." 

Then  Hildigunna  was  called,  and  she  came  thither. 

Flosi  told  her  of  the  wooing,  but  she  said  she  was  a 
proud-hearted  woman. 

"And  I  know  not.  how  things  will  turn  out  between 
me  and  men  of  like  spirit;  but  this,  to,  is  not  the  least 
of  my  dislike,  that  this  man  has  no  priesthood  or  leader- 
ship over  men,  but  thou  hast  always  said  that  thou  would- 
est  not  wed  me  to  a  man  who  had  not  the  priesthood." 

"This  is  quite  enough,"  says  Flosi,  "if  thou  wilt  not 
be  wedded  to  Hauskuld,  to  make  me  take  no  more  pains 
about  the  match." 

"Nay !"  she  says,  "I  do  not  say  that  I  will  not  be  wed- 
ded to  Hauskuld  if  they  can  get  him  a  priesthood  or  a 
leadership  over  men;  but  otherwise  I  will  have  nothing 
to  say  to  the  match." 

"Then,"  said  Njal,  "I  will  beg  thee  to  let  this  match 
stand  over  for  three  winters,  that  I  may  see  what  I  can 
do." 

Flosi  said  that  so  it  should  be. 

"I  will  only  bargain  for  this  one  thing,"  says  Hildi- 
gunna, "if  this  match  comes  to  pass,  that  we  shall  stay 
here  away  east." 

148 


THE  WEDDING  OF  HAVSKULD 

Njal  said  he  would  rather  leave  that  to  Hauskuld,  but 
Hauskuld  said  that  he  put  faith  in  many  men,  but  in 
none  so  much  as  his  foster-father. 

Now  they  ride  from  the  east. 

Njal  sought  to  get  a  priesthood  and  leadership  for 
Hauskuld,  but  no  one  was  willing  to  sell  his  priesthood, 
and  now  the  summer  passes  away  till  the  Althing. 

There  were  great  quarrels  at  the  Thing  that  summer, 
and  many  a  man  then  did  as  was  their  wont,  in  faring  to 
see  Njal;  but  he  gave  such  counsel  in  men's  lawsuits  as 
was  not  thought  at  all  likely,  so  that  both  the  pleadings 
and  the  defence  came  to  naught,  and  out  of  that  great 
strife  arose,  when  the  lawsuits  could  not  be  brought  to 
an  end,  and  men  rode  home  from  the  Thing  unatoned. 

Now  things  go  on  till  another  Thing  comes.  Njal 
rode  to  the  Thing,  and  at  first  all  is  quiet  until  Njal  says 
that  it  is  high  time  for  men  to  give  notice  of  their  suits. 

Then  many  said  that  they  thought  that  came  to  little, 
when  no  man  could  get  his  suit  settled,  even  though  the 
witnesses  were  summoned  to  the  Althing,  "and  so,"  say 
they,  "we  would  rather  seek  our  rights  with  point  and 
edge." 

"So  it  must  not  be,"  says  Njal,  "for  it  will  never  do 
to  have  no  law  in  the  land.  But  yet  ye  have  much  to  say 
on  your  side  in  this  matter,  and  it  behooves  us  who  know 
the  law,  and  who  are  bound  to  guide  the  law,  to  set  men 
at  one  again,  and  to  ensure  peace.  'Twere  good  counsel, 
then,  methinks,  that  we  call  together  all  the  chiefs  and 
talk  the  matter  over." 

Then  they  go  to  the  Court  of  Laws,  and  Njal  spoke 
and  said-  I49 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Thee,  Skapti  Thorod's  son  and  yon  other  chiefs,  I 
call  on,  and  say,  that  methinks  our  lawsuits  have  come 
into  a  deadlock,  if  we  have  to  follow  up  our  suits  in  the 
Quarter  Courts,  and  they  get  so  entangled  that  they  can 
neither  be  pleaded  nor  ended.  Methinks,  it  were  wiser 
if  we  had  a  Fifth  Court,  and  there  pleaded  those  suits 
which  cannot  be  brought  to  an  end  in  the  Quarter  Courts." 

"How,"  said  Skapti,  "wilt  thou  name  a  Fifth  Court, 
when  the  Quarter  Court  is  named  for  the  old  priesthoods, 
three  twelves  in  each  quarter?" 

"I  can  see  help  for  that,"  says  Njal,  "by  setting  up 
new  priesthoods,  and  filling  them  with  the  men  who  are 
best  fitted  in  each  Quarter,  and  then  let  those  men  who 
are  willing  to  agree  to  it,  declare  themselves  ready  to  join 
the  new  priest's  Thing." 

"Well,"  says  Skapti,  "we  will  take  this  choice;  but 
what  weighty  suits  shall  come  before  the  court?" 

"These  matters  shall  come  before  it,"  says  Njal — "all 
matters  of  contempt  of  the  Thing,  such  as  if  men  bear 
false  witness,  or  utter  a  false  finding;  hither,  too,  shall 
come  all  those  suits  in  which  the  Judges  are  divided  in 
opinion  in  the  Quarter  Court;  then  they  shall  be  sum- 
moned to  the  Fifth  Court ;  so,  to,  if  men  offer  bribes,  or 
take  them,  for  their  help  in  suits.  In  this  court  all  the 
oaths  shall  be  of  the  strongest  kind,  and  two  men  shall 
follow  every  oath,  who  shall  support  on  their  words  of 
honour  what  the  others  swear.  So  it  shall  be  also,  if  the 
pleadings  on  one  side  are  right  in  form,  and  the  other 
wrong,  that  the  judgment  shall  be  given  for  those  that 
are  right  in  form.  Every  suit  in  this  court  shall  be 


THE  WEDDING  OF  HAUSKULD 

pleaded  just  as  is  now  done  in  the  Quarter  Court,  save 
and  except  that  when  four  twelves  are  named  in  the  Fifth 
Court,  then  the  plaintiff  shall  name  and  set  aside  six 
men  out  of  the  court,  and  the  defendant  other  six;  but 
if  he  will  not  set  them  aside,  then  the  plaintiff  shall  name 
them  and  set  them  aside  as  he  has  done  with  his  own 
six;  but  if  the  plaintiff  does  not  set  them  aside,  then  the 
suit  comes  to  naught,  for  three  twelves  shall  utter  judg- 
ment on  all  suits.  We  shall  also  have  this  arrangement 
in  the  Court  of  Laws,  that  those  only  shall  have  the  right 
to  make  or  change  laws  who  sit  on  the  middle  bench,  and 
to  this  bench  those  only  shall  be  chosen  who  are  wisest 
and  best.  There,  too,  shall  the  Fifth  Court  sit;  but  if 
those  who  sit  in  the  Court  of  Laws  are  not  agreed  as  to 
what  they  shall  allow  or  bring  in  as  law,  then  they  shall 
clear  the  court  for  a  divison,  and  the  majority  shall  bind 
the  rest;  but  if  any  man  who  has  a  seat  in  the  Court  be 
outside  the  Court  of  Laws  and  cannot  get  inside  it,  or 
thinks  himself  overborne  in  the  suit,  then  he  shall  forbid 
them  by  a  protest,  so  that  they  can  hear  it  in  the  Court, 
and  then  he  has  made  all  their  grants  and  all  their  decis- 
ions void  and  of  none  effect,  and  stopped  them  by  his  pro- 
test." 

After  that,  Skapti  Thorod's  son  brought  the  Fifth 
Court  into  the  law,  and  all  that  was  spoken  of  before. 
Then  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  men  set  up  new 
priesthoods :  in  the  Northlanders'  Quarter  were  these  new 
priesthoods.  The  priesthood  of  the  Melmen  in  Midfirth, 
and  the  Laufesingers'  priesthood  in  the  Eyjafirth. 

Then  Njal  begged  for  a  hearing,  and  spoke  thus — 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"It  is  known  to  many  men  what  passed  between  my 
sons  and  the  men  of  Gritwater  when  they  slew  Thrain 
Sigfus'  son.  But  for  all  that  we  settled  the  matter;  and 
now  I  have  taken  Hauskuld  into  my  house,  and  planned 
a  marriage  for  him  if  he  can  get  a  priesthood  anywhere; 
but  no  man  will  sell  his  priesthood,  and  so  I  will  beg  you 
to  give  me  leave  to  set  up  a  new  priesthood  at  Whiteness 
for  Hauskuld." 

He  got  this  leave  from  all,  and  after  that  he  set  up 
the  new  priesthood  for  Hauskuld ;  and  he  was  afterwards 
called  Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness. 

After  that  men  ride  home  from  the  Thing,  and  Njal 
stayed  but  a  short  time  at  home  ere  he  rides  east  to  Swine- 
fell,  and  his  sons  with  him,  and  again  stirs  in  the  matter 
of  the  marriage  with  Flosi ;  but  Flosi  said  he  was  ready 
to  keep  faith  with  them  in  everything. 

Then  Hildigunna  was  betrothed  to  Hauskuld,  and  the 
day  for  the  wedding  feast  was  fixed,  and  so  the  matter 
ended.  They  then  ride  home,  but  they  rode  again  shortly 
to  the  bridal,  and  Flosi  paid  down  all  her  goods  and 
money  after  the  wedding,  and  all  went  off  well. 

They  fared  home  to  Bergthorsknoll  and  were  there  the 
next  year,  and  all  went  well  between  Hildigunna  and 
Bergthora.  But  the  next  spring  Njal  bought  land  in 
Ossaby,  and  hands  it  over  to  Hauskuld,  and  thither  he 
fares  to  his  own  abode.  Njal  got  him  all  his  household, 
and  there  was  such  love  between  them  all,  that  none  of 
them  thought  anything  that  he  said  or  did  any  worth 
unless  the  others  had  a  share  in  it. 

Hauskuld  dwelt  long  at  Ossaby,  and  each  backed  the 

152 


THE  SLAYING  OF  HAUSKULD  NJAL'S  SON 

other's  honour,  and  Njal's  sons  were  always  in  Hans- 
kuld's  company.  Their  friendship  was  so  warm,  that  each 
house  bade  the  other  to  a  feast  every  harvest,  and  gave 
each  other  great  gifts;  and  so  it  goes  on  for  a  long  while. 

CHAPTER  LX. 

THE   SLAYING  OF   HAUSKULD    NJAI/S    SON. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Lyting;  he  dwelt  at  Sams- 
tede,  and  he  had  to  wife  a  woman  named  Steinvora ;  she 
was  a  daughter  of  Sigfus,  and  Thrain's  sister.  Lyting 
was  tall  of  growth  and  a  strong  man,  wealthy  in  goods 
and  ill  to  deal  with. 

It  happened  once  that  Lyting  had  a  feast  in  his  house 
at  Samstede,  and  he  had  bidden  thither  Hauskuld  and 
the  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  they  all  came.  There,  too,  was 
Grani  Gunnar's  son,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Lambi 
Sigurd's  son. 

Hauskuld  Njal's  son  and  his  mother  had  a  farm  at 
Holt,  and  he  was  always  riding  to  his  farm  from  Berg- 
thorsknoll,  and  his  path  lay  by  the  homestead  at  Sams- 
tede. Hauskuld  had  a  son  named  Amund;  he  had  been 
born  blind,  but  for  all  that  he  was  tall  and  strong.  Lyt- 
ing had  two  brothers — the  one's  name  was  Hallstein,  and 
the  other's  Hallgrim.  They  were  the  most  unruly  of  men 
and  they  were  ever  with  their  brother,  for  other  men 
could  not  bear  their  temper. 

Lyting  was  out  of  doors  most  of  that  day,  but  every 
now  and  then  he  went  inside  his  house.  At  last  he  had 
gone  to  his  seat,  when  in  came  a  woman  who  had  been 
out  of  doors,  and  she  said — 

153 
13 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"You  were  too  far  off  to  see  outside  how  that  proud 
fellow  rode  by  the  farmyard!" 

"What  proud  fellow  was  that,"  says  Lyting,  "of  whom 
thou  speakest?" 

"Hauskuld  Njal's  son  rode  here  by  the  yard,"  she  says. 

"He  rides  often  here  by  the  farmyard,"  said  Lyting, 
"and  I  can't  say  that  it  does  not  try  my  temper,  and  now 
I  will  make  thee  an  offer,  Hauskuld  (Sigfus'  son),  to  go 
along  with  thee  if  thou  wilt  avenge  thy  father  and  slay 
Hauskuld  Njal's  son." 

"That  I  will  not  do,"  says  Hauskuld,  "for  then  I 
should  repay  Njal,  my  foster  father,  evil  for  good,  and 
mayst  thou  and  thy  feasts  never  thrive  henceforth." 

With  that  he  sprang  up  away  from  the  board,  and 
made  them  catch  his  horses,  and  rode  home. 

Then  Lyting  said  to  Grani  Gunnar's  son — 

"Thou  wert  by  when  Thrain  was  slain,  and  that  will 
still  be  in  thy  mind ;  and  thou,  too,  Gunnar  Lambi's  son, 
and  thou,  Lambi  Sigurd's  son.  Now,  my  will  is  that 
we  ride  to  meet  him  this  evening,  and  slay  him." 

"No,"  says  Grani,  "I  will  not  fall  on  Njal's  son,  and  so 
break  the  atonement  which  good  men  and  true  have  made." 

With  like  words  spoke  each  man  of  them,  and  so,  too, 
spoke  all  the  sons  of  Sigfus;  and  they  took  that  counsel 
to  ride  away. 

Then  Lyting  said,  when  they  had  gone  away — 

"All  men  know  that  I  have  taken  no  atonement  for  my 
brother-in-law  Thrain,  and  I  shall  never  be  content  that 
no  vengeance — man  for  man — shall  be  taken  for  him." 

After  that  he  called  on  his  two  brothers  to  go  with 

154 


THE  SLAYING  OF  HAUSKULD  NJAL'S  SON 

him,  and  three  house-carles  as  well.  They  went  on  the 
way  to  meet  Hauskuld  (Njal's  son)  as  he  came  back, 
and  lay  in  wait  for  him  north  of  the  farmyard  in  a  pit; 
and  there  they  bided  till  it  was  about  mideven  (six  o'clock 
p.  m.).  Then  Hauskuld  rode  up  to  them.  They  jump 
up  all  of  them  with  their  arms,  and  fall  on  him.  Haus- 
kuld guarded  himself  well,  so  that  for  a  long  while  they 
could  not  get  the  better  of  him ;  but  the  end  of  it  was  at 
last  that  he  wounded  Lyting  on  the  arm,  and  slew  two 
of  his  serving-men,  and  then  fell  himself.  They  gave 
Hauskuld  sixteen  wounds,  but  they  hewed  not  off  the 
head  from  his  body.  They  fared  away  into  the  wood 
east  of  Rangriver,  and  hid  themselves  there. 

That  same  evening,  Rodny's  shepherd  found  Hauskuld 
dead,  and  went  home  and  told  Rodny  of  her  son's  slaying. 

"Was  he  surely  dead?"  she  asks;  "was  his  head  off?" 

"It  was  not,"  he  says. 

"I  shall  know  if  I  see,"  she  says;  "so  take  thou  my 
horse  and  driving  gear." 

He  did  so,  and  got  all  things  ready,  and  then  they 
went  thither  where  Hauskuld  lay. 

She  looked  at  the  wounds,  and  said — 

"'Tis  even  as  I  thought,  that  he  could  not  be  quite 
dead,  and  Njal  no  doubt  can  cure  greater  wounds." 

After  that  they  took  the  body  and  laid  it  on  the  sledge 
and  drove  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  drew  it  into  the  sheep- 
cote,  and  made  him  sit  upright  against  the  wall. 

Then  they  went  both  of  them  and  knocked  at  the  door, 
and  a  house-carle  went  to  the  door.  She  steals  in  by  him 
at  once,  and  goes  till  she  comes  to  Njal's  bed. 

155 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

She  asked  whether  Njal  were  awake  ?  He  said  he  had 
slept  up  to  that  time,  but  was  then  awake. 

"But  why  art  thou  come  hither  so  early?" 

"Rise  thou  up,"  said  Rodny,  "from  thy  bed  by  my  ri- 
val's side,  and  come  out,  and  she  too,  and  thy  sons,  to  see 
thy  son  Hauskuld." 

They  rose  and  went  out. 

"Let  us  take  our  weapons,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "and 
have  them  with  us." 

Njal  said  naught  at  that,  and  they  ran  in  and  came  out 
again  armed. 

She  goes  first  till  they  come  to  the  sheepcote ;  she  goes 
in  and  bade  them  follow  her.  Then  she  lit  a  torch  and 
held  it  up  and  said — 

"Here,  Njal,  is  thy  son  Hauskuld,  and  he  hath  gotten 
many  wounds  upon  him,  and  now  he  will  need  leechcraft." 

"I  see  death  marks  on  him,"  said  Njal,  "but  no  signs 
of  life;  but  why  hast  thou  not  closed  his  eyes  and  nostrils? 
see,  his  nostrils  are  still  open!" 

"That  duty  I  meant  for  Skarphedinn,"  she  says. 

Then  Skarphedinn  went  to  close  his  eyes  and  nostrils, 
and  said  to  his  father — 

"Who,  sayest  thou,  hath  slain  him?" 

"Lyting  of  Samstede  and  his  brothers  must  have  slain 
him,"  says  Njal. 

Then  Rodny  said,  "Into  thy  hands,  Skarphedinn,  I 
leave  it  to  take  vengeance  for  thy  brother,  and  I  ween 
that  thou  wilt  take  it  well,  though  he  be  not  lawfully  be- 
gotten, and  that  thou  wilt  not  be  slow  to  take  it." 

"Wonderfully  do  ye  men  behave,"   said   Bergthora, 

156 


THE  SLAYING  OF  LYTING'S  BROTHERS 

"when  ye  slay  men  for  small  cause,  but  talk  and  tarry 
over  such  wrongs  as  this  until  no  vengeance  at  all  is  ta- 
ken ;  and  now  tidings  of  this  will  soon  come  to  Hauskuld, 
the  Priest  of  Whiteness,  and  he  will  be  offering  you  atone- 
ment, and  you  will  grant  him  that,  but  now  is  the  time 
to  set  about  it,  if  ye  seek  for  vengeance." 

"Our  mother  eggs  us  on  now  with  a  just  goading," 
said  Skarphedinn. 

After  that  they  all  ran  out  of  the  sheepcote,  but  Rodny 
went  indoors  with  Njal,  and  was  there  the  rest  of  the 
night. 

CHAPTER  LXI. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  LYTING'S  BROTHERS. 

Now  we  must  speak  of  Skarphedinn  and  his  brothers, 
how  they  bend  their  course  up  to  Rangriver.  Then 
Skarphedinn  said — 

"Stand  we  here  and  listen,  and  let  us  go  stilly,  for  I 
hear  the  voices  of  men  up  along  the  river's  bank.  But 
will  ye,  Helgi  and  Grim,  deal  with  Lyting  single-handed, 
or  with  both  his  brothers?" 

They  said  they  would  sooner  deal  with  Lyting  alone. 

"Still,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "there  is  more  game  in  him, 
and  methinks  it  were  ill  if  he  gets  away,  but  I  trust  my- 
self best  for  not  letting  him  escape." 

"We  will  take  such  steps,"  says  Helgi,  "if  we  get  a 
chance  at  him,  that  he  shall  not  slip  through  our  fingers." 

Then  they  went  thitherward,  where  they  heard  the 
voices  of  men,  and  see  where  Lyting  and  his  brothers  are 
by  a  stream. 

157 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Skarphedinn  leaps  over  the  stream  at  once,  and  alights 
on  the  sandy  brink  on  the  other  side.  There  upon  it 
stands  Hallgrim  and  his  brother.  Skarphedinn  smites  at 
Hallgrim's  thigh,  so  that  he  cut  the  leg  clean  off,  but  he 
grasps  Hallstein  with  his  left  hand.  Lyting  thrust  at 
Skarphedinn,  but  Helgi  came  up  then  and  threw  his  shield 
before  the  spear,  and  caught  the  blow  on  it.  Lyting  took 
up  a  stone  and  hurled  it  at  Skarphedinn,  and  he  lost  his 
hold  on  Hallstein.  Hallstein  sprang  up  the  sandy  bank, 
but  could  get  up  it  in  no  other  way  than  by  crawling  on 
his  hands  and  knees.  Skarphedinn  made  a  side  blow  at 
him  with  his  axe,  "the  ogress  of  war,"  and  hews  asunder 
his  backbone.  Now  Lyting  turns  and  flies,  but  Helgi  and 
Grim  both  went  after  him,  and  each  gave  him  a  wound, 
but  still  Lyting  got  across  the  river  away  from  them,  and 
so  to  the  horses,  and  gallops  till  he  comes  to  Ossaby. 

Hauskuld  was  at  home,  and  meets  him  at  once.  Lyt- 
ing told  him  of  these  deeds. 

"Such  things  were  to  be  looked  for  by  thee,"  says 
Hauskuld.  ".Thou  hast  behaved  like  a  madman,  and  here 
the  truth  of  the  old  saw  will  be  proved :  'but  a  short  while 
is  hand  fain  of  blow.'  Methinks  what  thou  hast  to  look 
to  now  is  whether  thou  wilt  be  able  to  save  thy  life  or 
not." 

"Sure  enough,"  says  Lyting,  "I  had  hard  work  to  get 
away,  but  still  I  wish  now  that  thou  wouldst  get  me 
atoned  with  Njal  and  his  sons,  so  that  I  might  keep  my 
farm." 

"So  it  shall  be,"  says  Hauskuld. 

After  that  Hauskuld  made  them  saddle  his  horse,  and 

158 


THE  SLAYING  OF  LYTING'S  BROTHERS 

rode  to  Bergthorsknoll  with  five  men.  Njal's  sons  were 
then  come  home  and  had  laid  them  down  to  sleep. 

Hauskuld  went  at  once  to  see  Njal,  and  they  began  to 
talk. 

"Hither  am  I  come,"  said  Hauskuld  to  Njal,  "to  beg  a 
boon  on  behalf  of  Lyting,  my  uncle.  He  has  done  great 
wickedness  against  you  and  yours,  broken  his  atonement 
and  slain  thy  son." 

"Lyting  will  perhaps  think,"  said  Njal,  "that  he  has 
already  paid  a  heavy  fine  in  the  loss  of  his  brothers,  but 
if  I  grant  him  any  terms,  I  shall  let  him  reap  the  good 
of  my  love  for  thee,  and  I  will  tell  thee  before  I  utter 
the  award  of  atonement,  that  Lyting's  brothers  shall  fall 
as  outlaws.  Nor  shall  Lyting  have  any  atonement  for 
his  wounds,  but  on  the  other  hand,  he  shall  pay  the  full 
blood-fine  for  Hauskuld." 

"My  wish,"  said  Hauskuld,  "is,  that  thou  shouldst 
make  thine  own  terms." 

"Well,"  says  Njal,  "then  I  will  utter  the  award  at  once 
if  thou  wilt." 

"Wilt  thou,"  says  Hauskuld,  "that  thy  sons  should  be 
by?" 

"Then  we  should  be  no  nearer  an  atonement  than  we 
were  before,"  says  Njal,  "but  they  will  keep  to  the  atone- 
ment which  I  utter." 

Then  Hauskuld  said,  "Let  us  close  the  matter  then, 
and  handsel  him  peace  on  behalf  of  thy  sons." 

"So  it  shall  be,"  says  Njal.  "My  will  then  is  that  he 
pays  two  hundred  in  silver  for  the  slaying  of  Hauskuld, 
but  he  may  still  dwell  at  Samstede;  and  yet  I  think  it 

159 


were  wiser  if  he  sold  his  land  and  changed  his  abode; 
but  not  for  this  quarrel ;  neither  I  nor  my  sons  will  break 
our  pledges  of  peace  to  him ;  but  methinks  it  may  be  that 
some  one  may  rise  up  in  this  country  against  whom  he 
may  have  to  be  on  his  guard.  Yet,  lest  it  should  seem 
that  I  make  a  man  an  outcast  from  his  native  place,  I 
allow  him  to  be  here  in  this  neighbourhood,  but  in  that 
case  he  alone  is  answerable  for  what  may  happen." 

After  that  Hauskuld  fared  home,  and  Njal's  sons  woke 
up  as  he  went,  and  asked  their  father  who  had  come,  but 
he  told  them  that  his  foster-son  Hauskuld  had  been  there. 

"He  must  have  come  to  ask  a  boon  for  Lyting  then," 
said  Skarphedinn. 

"So  it  was,"  says  Njal. 

"Ill  was  it  then,"  says  Grim. 

"Hauskuld  could  not  have  thrown  his  shield  before 
him,"  says  Njal,  "if  thou  hadst  slain  him,  as  it  was 
meant  thou  shouldst." 

"Let  us  throw  no  blame  on  our  father,"  says  Skarp- 
hedinn. 

Now  it  is  to  be  said  that  this  atonement  was  kept  be- 
tween them  afterwards. 

CHAPTER  LXII. 

OF  AMUND  THE  BLIND. 

THAT  event  happened  three  winters  after  at  the  Thing- 
skala-Thing  that  Amund  the  blind  was  at  the  Thing;  he 
was  the  son  of  Hauskuld  Njal's  son.  He  made  men  lead 
him  about  among  the  booths,  and  so  he  came  to  the  booth 

j6o 


OF  AMUND   THE  BLIND 

inside  which  was  Lyting  of  Samstede.  He  made  them 
lead  him  into  the  booth  till  he  came  before  Lyting. 

"Is  Lyting  of  Samstede  here?"  he  asked. 

"What  dost  thou  want?"  says  Lyting. 

"I  want  to  know,"  says  Amund,  "what  atonement  thou 
wilt  pay  me  for  my  father.  I  am  base-born,  and  I  have 
touched  no  fine." 

"I  have  atoned  for  the  slaying  of  thy  father,"  says 
Lyting,  "with  a  full  price,  and  thy  father's  father  and  thy 
father's  brothers  took  the  money;  but  my  brothers  fell 
without  a  price  as  outlaws ;  and  so  it  was  that  I  had  both 
done  an  ill-deed,  and  paid  dear  for  it." 

"I  ask  not,"  says  Amund,  "as  to  thy  having  paid  an 
atonement  to  them.  I  know  that  ye  two  are  now  friends, 
but  I  ask  this,  what  atonement  thou  wilt  pay  to  me  ?" 

"None  at  all,"  says  Lyting. 

"I  cannot  see,"  says  Amund,  "how  thou  canst  have 
right  before  God,  when  thou  hast  stricken  me  so  near  the 
heart ;  but  all  I  can  say  is,  that  if  I  were  blessed  with  the 
sight  of  both  my  eyes,  I  would  have  either  a  money  fine 
for  my  father,  or  revenge  man  for  man ;  and  so  may  God 
judge  between  us." 

After  that  he  went  out ;  but  when  he  came  to  the  door 
of  the  booth,  he  turned  short  round  towards  the  inside. 
Then  his  eyes  were  opened,  and  he  said — 

"Praised  be  the  Lord !  now  I  see  what  His  will  is." 

With  that  he  ran  straight  into  the  booth  until  he  comes 
before  Lyting,  and  smites  him  with  an  axe  on  the  head, 
so  that  it  sunk  in  up  to  the  hammer,  and  gives  the  axe  a 
pull  towards  him. 

161 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Lyting  fell  forwards  and  was  dead  at  once. 

Amund  goes  out  to  the  door  of  the  booth,  and  when 
he  got  to  the  very  same  spot  on  which  he  had  stood  when 
his  eyes  were  opened,  lo!  they  were  shut  again,  and  he  was 
blind  all  his  life  after. 

Then  he  made  them  lead  him  to  Njal  and  his  sons,  and 
he  told  them  of  Lyting's  slaying. 

"Thou  mayest  not  be  blamed  for  this,"  says  Njal,  "for 
such  things  are  settled  by  a  higher  power ;  but  it  is  worth 
while  to  take  warning  from  such  events,  lest  we  cut  any 
short  who  have  such  near  claims  as  Amund  had." 

After  that  Njal  offered  an  atonement  to  Lyting's  kins- 
men. Hauskuld  the  Priest  of  Whiteness  had  a  share  in 
bringing  Lyting's  kinsmen  to  take  the  fine,  and  then  the 
matter  was  put  to  an  award,  and  half  the  fines  fell  away 
for  the  sake  of  the  claim  which  he  seemed  to  have  on 
Lyting. 

After  that  men  came  forward  with  pledges  of  peace  and 
good  faith,  and  Lyting's  kinsmen  granted  pledges  to 
Amund.  Men  rode  home  from  the  Thing;  and  now  all  is 
quiet  for  a  long  while. 

CHAPTER  LXIII. 

OF  THE  SLANDER  OF  MORD  VALGARI/S  SON. 

A  LITTLE  after  Njal's  sons  and  Hauskuld  were  to  have 
their  yearly  feasts,  and  they  were  the  first  to  bid  Haus- 
kuld to  come  to  them. 

Skarphedinn  had  a  brown  horse  four  winters  old,  both 
tall  and  sightly.  He  was  a  stallion,  and  had  never  yet 
been  matched  in  fight.  That  horse  Skarphedinn  gave  to 

162 


THE  SLANDER  OF  MORD   VALGARD'S  SON 

Hauskuld,  and  along  with  him  two  mares.  They  all  gave 
Hauskuld  gifts,  and  assured  him  of  their  friendship. 

After  that  Hauskuld  bade  them  to  his  house  at  Ossaby, 
and  had  many  guests  to  meet  them,  and  a  great  crowd. 

It  happened  that  he  had  just  then  taken  down  his  hall, 
but  he  had  built  three  outhouses,  and  there  the  beds  were 
made. 

So  all  that  were  bidden  came,  and  the  feast  went  off 
very  well.  But  when  men  were  to  go  home  Hauskuld 
picked  out  good  gifts  for  them,  and  went  a  part  of  the 
way  with  Njal's  sons. 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  followed  him  and  all  the  crowd, 
and  both  sides  said  that  nothing  should  ever  come  between 
them  to  spoil  their  friendship. 

A  little  while  after  Mord  came  to  Ossaby  and  called 
Hauskuld  out  to  talk  with  him,  and  they  went  aside  and 
spoke. 

"What  a  difference  in  manliness  there  is,"  said  Mord, 
"between  thee  and  Njal's  sons!  Thou  gavest  them  good 
gifts,  but  they  gave  thee  gifts  with  great  mockery." 

"How  makest  thou  that  out  ?"  says  Hauskuld. 

"They  gave  thee  a  horse  which  they  called  a  Mark 
horse,'  and  that  they  did  out  of  mockery  at  thee,  because 
they  thought  thee  too  untried.  I  can  tell  thee  also  that 
they  envy  thee  the  priesthood.  Skarphedinn  took  it  up  as 
his  own  at  the  Thing  when  thou  earnest  not  to  the  Thing 
at  the  summoning  of  the  Fifth  Court,  and  Skarphedinn 
never  means  to  let  it  go." 

"That  is  not  true,"  says  Hauskuld,  "for  I  got  it  back 
at  the  Folkmote  last  harvest." 

163 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Then  that  was  Njal's  doing,"  says  Morel.  "They 
broke,  too,  the  atonement  about  Lyting." 

"I  do  not  mean  to  lay  that  at  their  door,"  says  Hauskuld. 

"Well,"  says  Mord,  "thou  canst  not  deny  that  when  ye 
two,  Skarphedinn  and  thou,  were  going  east  towards 
Markfleet,  an  axe  fell  out  from  under  his  belt,  and  he 
meant  to  have  slain  thee  then  and  there." 

"It  was  his  woodman's  axe,"  says  Hauskuld,  "and  I 
saw  how  he  put  it  under  his  belt ;  and  now,  Mord,  I  will 
just  tell  thee  this  right  out,  that  thou  canst  never  say  so 
much  ill  of  Njal's  sons  as  to  make  me  believe  it;  but 
though  there  were  aught  in  it,  and  it  were  true  as  thou 
sayest,  that  either  I  must  slay  them  or  they  me,  then 
would  I  far  rather  suffer  death  at  their  hands  than  work 
them  any  harm.  But  as  for  thee,  thou  art  all  the  worse 
a  man  for  having  spoken  this." 

After  that  Mord  fares  home.  A  little  after  Mord  goes 
to  see  Njal's  sons,  and  he  talks  much  with  those  broth- 
ers and  Kari. 

"I  have  been  told,"  says  Mord,  "that  Hauskuld  has 
said  that  thou,  Skarphedinn,  hast  broken  the  atonement 
made  with  Lyting;  but  I  was  made  aware  also  that  he 
thought  that  thou  hadst  meant  some  treachery  against  him 
when  ye  two  fared  to  Markfleet.  But  still,  methinks  that 
was  no  less  treachery  when  he  bade  you  to  a  feast  at  his 
house,  and  stowed  you  away  in  an  outhouse  that  was 
farthest  from  the  house  and  wood  was  then  heaped  round 
the  outhouse  all  night,  and  he  meant  to  burn  you  all  in- 
side; but  it  so  happened  that  Hogni  Gunnar's  son  came 
that  night,  and  naught  came  of  their  onslaught,  for  they 

164 


THE  SLANDER  OF  MORD  I'ALGARD'S  SON 

were  afraid  of  him.  After  that  he  followed  you  on  your 
way  and  great  band  of  men  with  him,  then  he  meant  to 
make  another  onslaught  on  you,  and  set  Grani  Gunnar's 
son,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  to  kill  thee ;  but  their  hearts 
failed  them,  and  they  dared  not  to  fall  on  thee." 

But  when  he  had  spoken  thus,  first  of  all  they  spoke 
against  it,  but  the  end  of  it  was  that  they  believed  him, 
and  from  that  day  forth  a  coldness  sprung  up  on  their 
part  towards  Hauskuld,  and  they  scarcely  ever  spoke  to 
him  when  they  met;  but  Hauskuld  showed  them  little 
deference,  and  so  things  went  on  for  a  while. 

Next  harvest  Hauskuld  fared  east  to  Swinefell  to  a 
feast,  and  Flosi  gave  him  a  hearty  welcome.  Hildigunna 
was  there  too.  Then  Flosi  spoke  to  Hauskuld  and  said — 

"Hildigunna  tells  me  that  there  is  great  coldness  with 
you  and  Njal's  sons,  and  methinks  that  is  ill,  and  I  will 
beg  thee  not  to  ride  west,  but  I  will  get  thee  a  homestead 
in  Skaptarfell,  and  I  will  send  my  brother,  Thorgeir,  to 
dwell  at  Ossaby." 

"Then  some  will  say,"  says  Hauskuld,  "that  I  am  fly- 
ing thence  for  fear's  sake,  and  that  I  will  not  have  said." 

"Then  it  is  more  likely  that  great  trouble  will  arise," 
says  Flosi. 

"Ill  is  that  then,"  says  Hauskuld,  "for  I  would  rather 
fall  unatoned,  than  that  many  should  reap  ill  for  my 
sake." 

Hauskuld  busked  him  to  ride  home  a  few  nights  after, 
but  Flosi  gave  him  a  scarlet  cloak,  and  it  was  embroid- 
ered with  needlework  down  to  the  waist. 

Hauskuld  rode  home  to  Ossaby,  and  now  all  is  quiet 
for  a  while.  _ 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Hauskuld  was  so  much  beloved  that  few  men  were  his 
foes,  but  the  same  ill-will  went  on  between  him  and 
Njal's  sons  the  whole  winter  through. 

Njal  had  taken  as  his  foster-child,  Thord,  the  son  of 

Kari.    He  had  also  fostered  Thorhall,  the  son  of  Asgrim 

4  Ellidagrinr  s  son.    Thorhall  was  a  strong  man,  and  hardy 

both  in  body  and  mind,  he  had  learnt  so  much  law  that  he 

was  the  third  greatest  lawyer  in  Iceland. 

Next  spring  was  an  early  spring,  and  men  are  busy 
sowing  their  corn. 

CHAPTER  LXIV. 

OP   MORD   AND   NJAI/S   SONS. 

IT  happened  one  day  that  Mord  came  to  Bergthors- 
knoll.  He  and  Kari  and  Njal's  sons  fell  a-talking  at  once, 
and  Mord  slanders  Hauskuld  after  his  wont,  and  has 
now  many  new  tales  to  tell,  and  does  naught  but  egg 
Skarphedinn  and  them  on  to  slay  Hauskuld,  and  said  he 
would  be  beforehand  with  them  if  they  did  not  fall  on 
him  at  once. 

"I  will  let  thee  have  thy  way  in  this,"  says  Skarphedinn, 
"if  thou  wilt  fare  with  us,  and  have  some  hand  in  it." 

"That  I  am  ready  to  do,"  says  Mord,  and  so  they 
'  bound  that  fast  with  promises,  and  he  was  to  come  there 
that  evening. 

Bergthora  asked  Njal — 

"What  are  they  talking  about  out  of  doors?" 

"I  am  not  in  their  counsels,"  says  Njal,  "but  I  was 
seldom  left  out  of  them  when  their  plans  were  good." 

Skarphedinn  did  not  lie  down  to  rest  that  evening,  nor 
his  brothers,  nor  Kari. 


THE  SLAYING  OF  HAUSKULD 

That  same  night,  when  it  was  well-nigh  spent,  came 
Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  Njal's  sons  and  Kari  took  their 
weapons  and  rode  away.  They  fared  till  they  came  to 
Ossaby,  and  bided  there  by  a  fence.  The  weather  was 
good,  and  the  sun  just  risen. 

CHAPTER  LXV. 

THE  SLAYING  OF  HAUSKULD,  THE  PRIEST  OF  WHITENESS. 

ABOUT  that  time  Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness, 
awoke;  he  put  on  his  clothes,  and  threw  over  him  his 
cloak,  Flosi's  gift.  He  took  his  corn-sieve,  and  had  his 
sword  in  his  other  hand,  and  walks  towards  the  fence,  and 
sows  the  corn  as  he  goes. 

Skarphedinn  and  his  band  had  agreed  that  they  would 
all  give  him  a  wound.  Skarphedinn  sprang  up  from  be- 
hind the  fence,  but  when  Hauskuld  saw  him  he  wanted 
to  turn  away,  then  Skarphedinn  ran  up  to  him  and  said — 

"Don't  try  to  turn  on  thy  heel,  Whiteness  priest,"  and 
hews  at  him,  and  the  blow  came  on  his  head,  and  he  fell 
on  his  knees.  Hauskuld  said  these  words  when  he  fell — 

"God  help  me,  and  forgive  you!" 

Then  they  all  ran  up  to  him  and  gave  him  wounds. 

After  that  Mord  said- 

"A  plan  comes  into  my  mind." 

"What  is  that?"  says  Skarphedinn. 

"That  I  shall  fare  home  as  soon  as  I  can,  but  after  that 
I  will  fare  up  to  Gritwater,  and  tell  them  the  tidings,  and 
say  'tis  an  ill  deed;  but  I  know  surely  that  Thorgerda 
will  ask  me  to  give  notice  of  the  slaying,  and  I  will  do 
that,  for  that  will  be  the  surest  way  to  spoil  their  suit. 

167 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

I  will  also  send  a  man  to  Ossaby,  and  know  how  soon 
they  take  any  counsel  in  the  matter,  and  that  man  will 
learn  all  these  tidings  thence,  and  I  will  make  believe 
that  I  have  heard  them  from  him." 

"Do  so  by  all  means,"  says  Skarphedinn. 

Those  brothers  fared  home,  and  Kari  with  them,  and 
when  they  came  home  they  told  Njal  the  tidings. 

'Sorrowful  tidings  are  these,"  says  Njal,  "and  such 
are  ill  to  hear,  for  sooth  to  say  this  grief  touches  me  so 
nearly,  that  methinks  it  were  better  to  have  lost  two  of 
my  sons  and  that  Hauskuld  lived." 

"It  is  some  excuse  for  thee,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "that 
thou  art  an  old  man,  and  it  is  to  be  looked  for  that  this 
touches  thee  nearly." 

"But  this,"  says  Njal,  "no  less  than  old  age,  is  why  I 
grieve,  that  I  know  better  than  thou  what  will  come  af- 
ter." 

"What  will  come  after?"  says  Skarphedinn. 

"My  death,"  says  Njal,  "and  the  death  of  my  wife 
and  of  all  my  sons." 

"What  dost  thou  foretell  for  me?"  says  Kari. 

"They  will  have  hard  work  to  go  against  thy  good  for- 
tune, for  thou  wilt  be  more  than  a  match  for  all  of  them." 

This  one  thing  touched  Njal  so  nearly  that  he  could 
never  speak  of  it  without  shedding  tears. 

CHAPTER  LXVI. 

OF    HILDIGUNNA   AND    MORD  VAI<GARD's   SON. 

HILDIGUNNA  woke  up  and  found  that  Hauskuld  was 
away  out  of  his  bed. 

168 


HILDIGUNNA  AND  MORD   VALGARD'S  SON 

"Hard  have  been  my  dreams,"  she  said,  "and  not 
good ;  but  go  and  search  for  him,  Hauskuld." 

So  they  searched  for  him  about  the  homestead  and 
found  him  not. 

By  that  time,  she  had  dressed  herself;  then  she  goes 
and  two  men  with  her,  to  the  fence,  and  there  they  find 
Hauskuld  slam. 

,  Just  then,  too,  came  up  Mord  Valgard's  son's,  shepherd, 
and  told  her  that  Njal's  sons  had  gone  down  thence, 
"and,"  he  said,  "Skarphedinn  called  out  to  me  and  gave 
notice  of  the  slaying  as  done  by  him." 

"It  were  a  manly  deed,"  she  says,  "if  one  man  had  been 
at  it." 

She  took  the  cloak  and  wiped  off  all  the  blood  with  it, 
and  wrapped  the  gouts  of  gore  up  in  it,  and  so  folded  it 
together  and  laid  it  up  in  her  chest. 

Now  she  sent  a  man  up  to  Gritwater  to>  tell  the  tid- 
ings thither,  but  Mord  was  there  before  him,  and  had 
already  told  the  tidings.  There,  too,  was  come  Kettle  of 
the  Mark. 

Thorgerda  said  to  Kettle — 

"Now  is  Hauskuld  dead  as  we  know,  and  now  bear  in 
mind  what  thou  promisedst  to  do  when  thou  tookest  him 
for  thy  foster-child." 

"It  may  well  be,"  says  Kettle,  "that  I  promised  very 
many  things  then,  for  I  thought  not  that  these  days 
would  ever  befall  us  that  have  now  come  to  pass;  but 
yet  I  am  come  into  a  strait,  for  'nose  is  next  of  kin  to 
eyes/  since  I  have  Njal's  daughter  to  wife." 

"Art  thou  willing  then,"  says  Thorgerda,  "that  Mord 
should  give  notice  of  the  suit  for  the  slaying?" 

169 
14 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  know  not  that,"  says  Kettle,  "for  methinks  Ih  comes 
from  him  more  often  than  good." 

But  as  soon  as  ever  Mord  began  to  speak  to  Kettle  he 
fared  the'  same  as  others,  in  that  he  thought  as  though 
Mord  would  be  true  to  him1,  and  so  the  end  of  their  coun- 
cil was  that  Mord  should  give  notice  of  the  slaying,  and 
get  ready  the  suit  in  every  way  before  the  Thing. 

Then  Mord  fared  down  to  Ossaby,  and  thither  came 
nine  neighbours  who  dwelt  nearest  the  spot. 

Mord  had  ten  men  with  him.  He  shows  the  neigh- 
bours Hauskuld's  wounds,  and  takes  witness  to  the  hurts, 
and  names  a  man  as  the  dealer  of  every  wound  save  one ; 
that  he  made  as  though  he  knew  not  who  had  dealt  it, 
but  that  wound  he  had  dealt  himself.  But  the  slaying 
he  gave  notice  of  at  Skarphedinn's  hand,  and  the  wounds 
at  his  brothers'  and  Kari's. 

After  that  he  called  on  nine  neighbours  who  dwelt  near- 
est the  spot  to  ride  away  from  home  to  the  Althing  on  the 
inquest. 

After  that  he  rode  home.  He  scarce  ever  met  Njal's 
sons,  and  when  he  did  meet  them,  he  was  cross,  and  that 
was  part  of  their  plan. 

The  slaying  of  Hauskuld  was  heard  over  all  the  land, 
and  was  ill-spoken  of.  Njal's  sons  went  to  see  Asgrim 
Ellidagrim's  son,  and  asked  him  for  aid. 

"Ye  very  well  know  that  ye  may  look  that  I  shall  help 
you  in  all  great  suits,  but  still  my  heart  is  heavy  about 
this  suit,  for  there  are  many  who  have  the  blood  feud, 
and  this  slaying  is  ill-spoken  of  over  all  the  land." 

Now  Njal's  sons  fare  home. 

170 


OF  FLOSI  THORD'S  SON 

CHAPTER  LXVII. 
OP  FLOSI  THORD'S  SON. 

FLOSI  hears  of  Hauskuld's  slaying,  and  that  brings 
him  much  grief  and  wrath,  but  still  he  kept  his  feelings 
well  in  hand.  He  was  told  how  the  suit  had  been  set  on 
foot,  as  has  been  said,  for  Hauskuld's  slaying,  and  he 
said  little  about  it.  He  sent  word  to  Hall  of  the  Side, 
his  father-in-law,  and  to  Ljot  his  son,  that  they  must 
gather  in  a  great  company  at  the  Thing.  Ljot  was 
thought  the  most  hopeful  man  for  a  chief  away  there  east. 
It  had  been  foretold  that  if  he  could  ride  three  summers 
running  to  the  Thing,  and  come  safe  and  sound  home, 
that  then  he  would  be  the  greatest  chief  in  all  his  family, 
and  the  oldest  man.  He  had  then  ridden  one  summer 
to  the  Thing,  and  now  he  meant  to  ride  the  second  time. 

Flosi  sent  word  to  Kol  Thorstein's  son,  and  Glum  the 
son  of  Hilldir,  the  old,  the  son  of  Gerleif,  the  son  of 
Aunund  wallet-back,  and  to  Modolf  Kettle's  son,  and 
they  all  rode  to  meet  Flosi. 

Hall  gave  his  word,  too,  to  gather  a  great  company, 
and  Flosi  rode  till  he  came  to  Kirkby,  to  Surt  Asbjorn's 
son.  Then  Flosi  sent  after  Kolbein  Egil's  son,  his  broth- 
er's son,  and  he  came  to  him  there.  Thence  he  rode  to 
Headbrink.  There  dwelt  Thorgrim  the  showy,  the  son 
of  Thorkel  the  fair.  Flosi  begged  him  to  ride  to  the 
Althing  with  him,  and  he  said  yea  to  the  journey,  and 
spoke  thus  to  Flosi — 

"Often  hast  thou  been  more  glad,  master,  than  thou 
art  now,  but  thou  hast  some  right  to  be  so." 

171 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Of  a  truth,"  said  Flosi,  "that  hath  now  come  on  my 
hands,  which  I  would  give  all  my  goods  that  it  had 
never  happened.  Ill  seed  has  been  sown,  and  so  an  ill 
crop  will  spring  from  it." 

Thence  he  rode  over  Arnstacksheath,  and  so  to>  Sol- 
heim  that  evening.  There  dwelt  Lodmund  Wolf's  son, 
but  he  was  a  great  friend  of  Flosi,  and  there  he  stayed 
that  night  and  next  morning  Lodmund  rode  with  him 
into  the  Dale. 

There  dwelt  Runolf,  the  son  of  Wolf  Aurpriest. 

Flosi  said  to  Runolf — 

"Here  we  shall  have  true  stories  as  to  the  slaying  of 
Hauskuld,  the  Priest  of  Whiteness.  Thou  art  a  truthful 
man,  and  hast  got  at  the  truth  by  asking,  and  I  will  trust 
to  all  that  thou  tellest  me  as  to  what  was  the  cause  of 
quarrel  between  them." 

"There  is  no  good  in  mincing  the  matter,"  said  Ru- 
nolf, "but  we  must  say  outright  that  he  has  been  slain 
for  less  than  no  cause;  and  his  death  is  a  great  grief  to 
all  men.  No  one  thinks  it  so  much  a  loss  as  Njal,  his  fos- 
ter-father." 

"Then  they  will  be  ill  off  for  help  from  men,"  says 
Flosi ;  "and  they  will  find  no  one  to  speak  up  for  them." 

"So  it  will  be,"  says  Runolf,  "unless  it  be  otherwise 
foredoomed." 

"What  has  been  done  in  the  suit?"  says  Flosi. 

"Now  the  neighbours  have  been  summoned  on  the  in- 
quest," says  Runolf,  "and  due  notice  given  of  the  suit 
for  manslaughter." 

"Who  took  that  step?"  asks  Flosi. 

172 


OF  FLOS!  AND  HILDIGUNNA 

"Mord  Valgard's  son,"  says  Runolf. 

"How  far  is  that  to  be  trusted?"  says  Flosi. 

"He  is  of  my  kin,"  says  Runolf ;  "but  still,  if  I  tell  the 
truth  of  him,  I  must  say  that  more  men  reap  ill  than 
good  from  him.  But  this  one  thing  I  will  ask  of  thee, 
Flosi,  that  thou  givest  rest  to  thy  wrath,  and  takest  the 
matter  up  in  such  a  way  as  may  lead  to  the  least  trouble. 
For  Njal  will  make  a  good  offer,  and  so  will  others  of 
the  best  men." 

"Ride  thou  then  to  the  Thing,  Runolf,"  said  Flosi, 
"and  thy  words  shall  have  much  weight  with  me,  unless 
things  turn  out  worse  than  they  should." 

After  that  they  cease  speaking  about  it,  and  Runolf 
promised  to  go  to  the  Thing. 

Runolf  sent  word  to  Hafr  the  wise,  his  kinsman,  and 
he  rode  thither  at  once. 

Thence  Flosi  rode  to  Ossaby. 

CHAPTER  LXVIII. 

OF   FIvOSI  AND   HILDIGUNNA. 

HILDIGUNNA  was  out  of  doors,  and  said,  "Now  shall 
all  the  men  of  my  household  be  out  of  doors  when  Flosi 
rides  into  the  yard ;  but  the  women  shall  sweep  the  house 
and  deck  it  with  hangings,  and  make  ready  the«high-seat 
for  Flosi." 

Then  Flosi  rode  into  the  town,  and  Hildigunna  turned 
to  him  and  said — 

"Come  in  safe  and  sound  and  happy  kinsman,  and  my 
heart  is  fain  at  thy  coming  hither." 

"Here,"  says  Flosi,  "we  will  break  our  fast,  and  then 
we  will  ride  on."  I7 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  their  horses  were  tethered,  and  Flosi  went  into 
the  sitting-room  and  sat  him  down,  and  spurned  the  high- 
seat  away  from  him  on  the  dais,  and  said — 

"I  am  neither  king  nor  earl,  and  there  is  no  need  to 
make  a  high-seat  for  me  to  sit  on,  nor  is  there  any  need 
to  make  a  mock  of  me." 

Hildigunna  was  standing  close  by,  and  said — 

"It  is  ill  if  it  mislikes  thee,  for  this  we  did  with  a  whole 
heart." 

"If  thy  heart  is  whole  towards  me,  then  what  I  do  will 
praise  itself  if  it  be  well  done,  but  it  will  blame  itself  if 
it  be  ill  done." 

Hildigunna  laughed  a  cold  laugh,  artd  said — 

"There  is  nothing  new  in  that,  we  will  go  nearer  yet 
ere  we  have  done." 

She  sat  down  by  Flosi,  and  they  talked  long  and  low. 

After  that  the  board  was  laid,  and  Flosi  and  his  band 
washed  their  hands.  Flosi  looked  hard  at  the  towel  and 
saw  that  it  was  all  in  rags,  and  had  one  end  torn  off. 
He  threw  it  down  on  the  bench  and  would  not  wipe  him- 
self with  it,  but  tore  off  a  piece  of  the  table-cloth,  and 
wiped  himself  with  that,  and  then  threw  it  to  his  men. 

After  that  Flosi  sat  down  to  the  board  and  bade  men 
eat. 

Then  Hildigunna  came  into  the  room  and  went  before 
Flosi,  and  threw  her  hair  off  her  eyes  and  wept. 

"Heavy-hearted  art  thou  now,  kinswoman,"  said  Flosi, 
"when  thou  weepest,  but  still  it  is  well  that  thou  shouldst 
weep  for  a  good  husband." 

"What  vengeance  or  help  shall  I  have  of  thee?"  she 
says. 


OF  FLOSI  AND  HILDIGUNNA 

"I  will  follow  up  thy  suit,"  said  Flosi,  "to  the  utmost 
limit  of  the  law,  or  strive  for  that  atonement  which  good 
men  and  true  shall  say  that  we  ought  to  have  as  full 
amends." 

"Hauskuld  would  avenge  thee,"  she  said,  "if  he  had 
the  blood-feud  after  thee." 

"Thou  lackest  not  grimness,"  answered  Flosi,  "and 
what  thou  wantest  is  plain." 

"Arnor  Ornolf's  son,  of  Forswaterwood,"  said  Hildi- 
gunna,  "had  done  less  wrong  towards  Thord  Frey's  priest 
thy  father;  and  yet  thy  brothers  Kolbein  and  Egil  slew 
him  at  Skaptarfells-Thing." 

Then  Hildigunna  went  back  into  the  hall  and  unlocked 
her  chest,  and  then  she  took  out  the  cloak,  Flosi's  gift, 
and  in  it  Hauskuld  had  been  slain,  and  there  she  had  kept 
it,  blood  and  all.  Then  she  went  back  into  the  sitting 
room  with  the  cloak ;  she  went  up  silently  to  Flosi.  Flosi 
had  just  then  eaten  his  full,  and  the  board  was  cleared. 
Hildigunna  threw  the  cloak  over  Flosi,  and  the  gore  rat- 
tled down  all  over  him. 

Then  she  spoke  and  said — 

"This  cloak,  Flosi,  thou  gavest  to  Hauskuld,  and  now 
I  will  give  it  back  to  thee;  he  was  slain  in  it,  and  I  call 
God  and  all  good  men  to  witness,  that  I  adjure  thee,  by 
all  the  might  of  thy  Christ,  and  by  thy  manhood  and 
bravery,  to  take  vengeance  for  all  those  wounds  which 
he  had  on  his  dead  body,  or  else  to  be  called  every  man's 
dastard/' 

Flosi  threw  the  cloak  off  him  and  hurled  it  into  her 
lap,  and  said — 

175 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Thou  art  the  greatest  hell-hag,  and  thou  wishest  that 
we  should  take  that  course  which  will  be  the  worst  for 
all  of  us.  But  'women's  counsel  is  ever  cruel.' ' 

Flosi  was  so  stirred  at  this,  that  sometimes  he  was 
blood-red  in  the  face,  and  sometimes  ashy  pale  as  with- 
ered grass,  and  sometimes  blue  as  death. 

Flosi  and  his  men  rode  away ;  he  rode  to  Holtford,  and 
there  waits  for  the  sons  of  Sigfus  and  other  of  his  men. 

Ingialld  dwelt  at  the  Springs;  he  was  the  brother  of 
Rodny,  Hauskuld  Njal's  son's  mother.  Ingialld  had  to 
wife  Thraslauga,  the  daughter  of  Egil,  the  son  of  Thord 
Frey's  priest.  Flosi  sent  word  to  Ingialld  to  come  to 
him,  and  Ingialld  went  at  once,  with  fourteen  men.  They 
were  all  of  his  household.  Ingialld  was  a  tall  man  and 
a  strong,  and  slow  to  meddle  with  other  men's  business, 
one  of  the  bravest  of  men,  and  very  bountiful  to  his 
friends. 

Flosi  greeted  him  well,  and  said  to  him,  "Great  trouble 
hath  now  come  on  me  and  my  brothers-in-law,  and  it  is 
hard  to  see  our  way  out  of  it ;  I  beseech  thee  not  to  part 
from  my  suit  until  this  trouble  is  past  and  gone." 

"I  am  come  into  a  strait  myself,"  said  Ingialld,  "for  the 
sake  of  the  ties  that  there  are  between  me  and  Njal  and 
his  sons,  and  other  great  matters  which  stand  in  the 
way." 

"I  thought,"  said  Flosi,  "when  I  gave  away  my  broth- 
er's daughter  to  thee,  that  thou  gavest  me  thy  word  to 
stand  by  me  in  every  suit." 

"It  is  most  likely,"  says  Ingialld,  "that  I  shall  do  so, 
but  still  I  will  now,  first  of  all,  ride  home,  and  thence  to 
the  Thing."  I6 


FLOSI  AND  MORD  AND  THE  SONS  OF  SIGFUS 
CHAPTER  LXIX. 

OF  FIX)SI  AND  MORD  AND  THE  SONS  OF  SIGFUS. 

THE  sons  of  Sigfus  heard  how  Flosi  was  at  Holtford, 
and  they  rode  thither  to  meet  him,  and  there  were  Kettle 
of  the  Mark,  and  Lambi  his  brother,  Thorkell  and  Mord, 
the  sons  of  Sigfus,  Sigmund  their  brother,  and  Lambi 
Sigurd's  son,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Grani  Gun- 
nar's  son,  and  Vebrand  Hamond's  son. 

Flosi  stood  up  to  meet  them,  and  greeted  them  gladly. 
So  they  went  down  to  the  river.  Flosi  had  the  whole 
story  from  them'  about  the  slaying,  and  there  was  no 
difference  between  them  and  Kettle  of  the  Mark's  story. 

Flosi  spoke  to  Kettle  of  the  Mark,  and  said — 

"This  now  I  ask  of  thee;  how  tightly  are  your  hearts 
knit  as  to  this  suit,  thou  and  the  other  sons  of  Sigfus?" 

"My  wish  is,"  said  Kettte,  "that  there  should  be  peace 
between  us,  but  yet  I  have  sworn  an  oath  not  to  part 
from  this  suit  till  it  has  been  brought  somehow  to  an 
end,  and  to  lay  my  life  on  it." 

"Thou  art  a  good  man  and  true,"  said  Flosi,  "and  it  is 
well  to  have  such  men  with  one." 

Then  Grani  Gunnar's  son  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son  both 
spoke  together,  and  said — 

"We  wish  for  outlawry  and  death." 

"It  is  not  given  us,"  said  Flosi,  "both  to  share  and 
choose,  we  must  take  what  we  can  get." 

"I  have  had  it  in  my  heart,"  says  Grani,  "ever  since 
they  slew  Thrain  by  Markfleet,  and  after  that  his  son 
Hauskuld,  never  to  be  atoned  with  them  by  a  lasting 

177 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

peace,  for  I  would  willingly  stand  by  when  they  were  all 
slain,  every  man  of  them." 

"Thou  hast  stood  so  near  to  them,"  said  Flosi,  "that 
thou  mightest  have  avenged  these  things  hadst  thou  had 
the  heart  and  manhood.  Methinks  thou  and  many  others 
now  ask  for  what  ye  would  give  much  money  hereafter 
never  to  have  had  a  share  in.  I  see  this  clearly,  that 
though  we  slay  Njal  or  his  sons,  still  they  are  men  of  so 
great  worth,  and  of  such  good  family,  that  there  will  be 
such  a  blood  feud  and  hue  and  cry  after  them,  that  we 
shall  have  to  fall  on  our  knees  before  many  a  man,  and 
beg  for  help,  ere  we  get  an  atonement  and  find  our  way 
out  of  this  strait.  Ye  may  make  up  your  minds,  then, 
that  many  will  become  poor  who  before  had  great  goods, 
but  some  of  you  will  lose  both  goods  and  life." 

Mord  Valgard's  son  rode  to  meet  Flosi,  and  said  he 
would  ride  to  the  Thing,  with  him  with  all  his  men. 
Flosi  took  that  well,  and  raised  a  matter  of  a  wedding 
with  him,  that  he  should  give  away  Rannveiga  his  daugh- 
ter to  Starkad  Flosi's  brother's  son,  who  dwelt  at  Staffell. 
Flosi  did  this  because  he  thought  he  would  so  make  sure 
both  of  his  faithfulness  and  force. 

Mord  took  the  wedding  kindly,  but  handed  the  matter 
over  to  Gizur  the  white,  and  bade  him  talk  about  it  at 
the  Thing. 

Mord  had  to  wife  Thorkatla,  Gizur  the  white's  daugh- 
ter. 

They  two,  Mord  and  Flosi,  rode  both  together  to  the 
Thing,  and  talked  the  whole  day,  and  no  man  knew 
aught  of  their  counsel. 

178 


OF  THE  PLEADING  OF  THE  SUIT 
CHAPTER  LXX. 

Of  THE  PLEADING  OP  THE  SUIT. 

THE  next  day  Asgrim,  and  Gizur  the  white,  and 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  Einar  of  Thvera,  met  together. 
There  too  was  Mord  Valgard's  son;  he  had  then  let  the 
suit  fall  from  his  hand,  and  given  it  over  to  the  sons 
of  Sigfus. 

Then  Asgrim  spoke. 

"Thee  first  I  speak  to  about  this  matter,  Gizur  the 
white,  and  thee  Hjallti,  and  thee  Einar,  that  I  may  tell 
you  how  the  suit  stands.  It  will  be  known  to  all  of  you 
that  Mord  took  up  the  suit,  but  the  truth  of  the  matter 
is,  that  Mord  was  at  Hauskuld's  slaying,  and  wounded 
him  with  that  wound,  for  giving  which  no  man  was 
named.  It  seems  to  me,  then,  that  this  suit  must  come 
to  nought  by  reason  of  a  lawful  flaw." 

"Then  we  will  plead  it  at  once,"  says  Hjallti. 

"It  is  not  good  counsel,"  said  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son, 
"that  this  should  not  be  hidden  until  the  courts  are  set." 

"How  so?"  asks  Hjallti. 

"If,"  said  Thorhall,  "they  knew  now  at  once  that  the 
suit  has  been  wrongly  set  on  foot,  then  they  may  still 
save  the  suit  by  sending  a  man  home  from  the  Thing, 
and  summoning  the  neighbours  from  home  over  again, 
and  calling  on  them  to  ride  to  the  Thing,  and  then  the 
suit  will  be  lawfully  set  on  foot." 

"Thou  art  a  wise  man,  Thorhall,"  say  they,  "and  we 
will  take  thy  counsel." 

After  that  each  man  went  to  his  booth. 

179 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  gave  notice  of  their  suits  at  the 
Hill  of  Laws,  and  asked  in  what  Quarter  Courts  they  lay, 
and  in  what  house  in  the  district  the  defendants  dwelt. 
But  on  the  Friday  night  the  courts  were  to  go  out  to  try 
suits,  and  so  the  Thing  was  quiet  up  to  that  day. 

Many  sought  to  bring  about  an  atonement  between 
them,  but  Flosi  was  steadfast ;  but  others  were  still  more 
wordy,  and  things  looked  ill. 

Now  the  time  comes  when  the  courts  were  to  go  out, 
on  the  Friday  evening.  Then  the  whole  body  of  men 
at  the  Thing  went  to  the  courts.  Flosi  stood  south  at  the 
court  of  the  men  of  Rangriver,  and  his  band  with  him. 
There  with  him  was  Hall  of  the  Side,  and  Runolf  of  the 
Dale,  Wolf  Aurpriest's  son,  and  those  other  men  who  had 
promised  Flosi  help. 

But  north  of  the  court  of  the  men  o/  Rangriver  stood 
Argrim  Ellidagrim's  son,  and  Gizur  the  white,  Hjallti 
Skeggi's  son,  and  Einar  of  Thvera.  But  Njal's  sons 
were  at  home  at  their  booth,  and  Kari  and  Thorleif  crow, 
and  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and  Thorgrim  the  big.  They 
sate  all  with  their  weapons,  and  their  band  looked  safe 
from  onslaught. 

Njal  had  already  prayed  the  judges  to  go  into  the  court, 
and  now  the  sons  of  Sigfus  plead  their  suit.  They  took 
witness  and  bade  Njal's  sons  to  listen  to  their  oath ;  after 
that  they  took  their  oath,  and  then  they  declared  their 
suit;  then  they  brought  forward  witness  of  the  notice, 
then  they  bade  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  to  take  their 
seats,  then  they  called  on  Njal's  sons  to  challenge  the  in- 
quest. 

180 


THE  ATONEMENT  BETWEEN  FLOSl  AND  NJAL 

Then  up  stood  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son,  and  took  wit- 
ness, and  forbade  the  inquest  by  a  protest  to  utter  their 
finding;  and  his  ground  was,  that  he  who  had  given  no- 
tice of  the  suit  was  truly  tinder  the  ban  of  the  law,  and 
was  himself  an  outlaw. 

"Of  whom  speakest  thou  this?"  says  Flosi. 

"Mord  Valgard's  son,"  said  Thorhall,  "fared  to  Haus- 
kuld's  slaying  with  Njal's  sons,  and  wounded  him  with 
that  wound  for  which  no  man  was  named  when  witness 
was  taken  to  the  death-wounds;  and  ye  can  say  nothing 
against  this,  and  so  the  suit  comes  to  naught." 

CHAPTER  LXXI. 

OF    THE    AWARD     OF    ATONEMENT    BETWEEN     FLOSI    AND 

NJAL. 

THEN  Njal  stood  up  and  said — 

"This  I  pray,  Hall  of  the  Side,  and  Flosi,  and  all  the 
sons  of  Sigfus,  and  all  our  men  too,  that  ye  will  not  go 
away,  but  listen  to  my  words." 

They  did  so,  and  then  he  spoke  thus  — 

"It  seems  to  me  as  though  this  suit  were  come  to 
naught,  and  it  is  likely  it  should,  for  it  hath  sprung  from 
an  ill  root.  I  will  let  you  all  know  that  I  loved  Hauskuld 
more  than  my  own  sons,  and  when  I  heard  that  he  was 
slain,  methought  the  sweetest  light  of  my  eyes  was 
quenched,  and  I  would  rather  have  lost  all  my  sons,  and 
that  he  were  alive.  Now  I  ask  thee,  Hall  of  the  Side, 
nnd  thee  Runolf  of  the  Dale,  and  thee  Hjallti  Skeggi's 
son,  and  thee  Einar  of  Thvera,  and  thee  Hafr  the  wise, 
that  I  may  be  allowed  to  make  an  atonement  for  the 

181 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

slaying  of  Hauskuld  on  my  sons'  behalf;  and  I  wish 
that  those  men  who  are  best  fitted  to  do  so  shall  utter  the 
award." 

Gizur,  and  Hafr,  and  Einar,  spoke  each  on  their  own 
part,  and  prayed  Flosi  to  take  an  atonement,  and  prom- 
ised him  their  friendship  in  return. 

Flosi  answered  them  well  in  all  things,  but  still  did  not 
give  his  word. 

Then  Hall  of  the  Side  said  to  Flosi — 

"Wilt  thou  now  keep  thy  word,  and  grant  me  my  boon 
which  thou  hast  already  promised  me,  when  I  put  beyond 
sea  Thorgrim,  the  son  of  Kettle  the  fat,  thy  kinsman, 
when  he  had  slain  Halli  the  red." 

"I  will  grant  it  thee,  father-in-law,"  said  Flosi,  "for 
that  alone  wilt  thou  ask  which  will  make  my  honour 
greater  than  it  erewhile  was." 

"Then,"  said  Hall,  "my  wish  is  that  thou  shouldst  be 
quickly  atoned,  and  lettest  good  men  and  true  make  an 
award,  and  so  buy  the  friendship  of  good  and  worthy 
men." 

"I  will  let  you  all  know,"  said  Flosi,  "that  I  will  do 
according  to  the  word  of  Hall,  my  father-in-law,  and 
other  of  the  worthiest  men,  that  he  and  others  of  the 
best  men  on  each  side,  lawfully  named,  shall  make  this 
award.  Methinks  Njal  is  worthy  that  I  should  grant  him 
this." 

Njal  thanked  him  and  all  of  them,  and  others  who  were 
by  thanked  them  too,  and  said  that  Flosi  had  behaved 
well. 

Then  Flosi  said — 

182 


OF   THE  JUDGES 

"Now  will  I  name  my  daysmen  (arbitrators) — First,  I 
name  Hall,  my  father-in-law;  Auzur  from  Broadwater; 
Surt  Asbjorn's  son  of  Kirkby;  Modolf  Kettle's  son" — 
he  dwelt  then  at  Asar — "Hafr  the  wise;  and  Runolf  of 
the  Dale ;  and  it  is  scarce  worth  while  to  say  that  these  are 
the  fittest  men  out  of  all  my  company." 

Now  he  bade  Njal  to  name  his  daysmen,  and  then 
Njal  stood  up,  and  said — 

"First  of  these  I  name,  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son ;  and 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son;  Gizur  the  white;  Einar  of  Thvera; 
Snorri  the  priest ;  and  Gudmund  the  powerful." 

After  that  Njal  and  Flosi,  and  the  sons  of  Sigfus  shook 
hands,  and  Njal  pledged  his  hand  on  behalf  of  all  his 
sons,  and  of  Kari,  his  son-in-law,  that  they  would  hold 
to  what  those  twelve  men  doomed;  and  one  might  say 
that  the  whole  body  of  men  at  the  Thing  was  glad  at 
that. 

Then  men  were  sent  after  Snorri  and  Gudmund,  for 
they  were  in  their  booths. 

Then  it  was  given  out  that  the  judges  in  this  award 
would  sit  in  the  Court  of  Laws,  but  all  the  others  were  to 
go  away. 

CHAPTER  LXXII. 

OE  THE  JUDGES. 

THEN  Snorri  the  priest  spoke  thus — "Now  are  we 
here  twelve  judges  to  whom  these  suits  are  handed  over, 
now  I  will  beg  you  all  that  we  may  have  no  stumbling- 
blocks  in  these  suits,  so  that  they  may  not  be  atoned." 

"Will  ye,"  said  Gudmund,  "award  either  the  lesser  or 

183 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

the  greater  outlawry?  Shall  they  be  banished  from  the 
district,  or  from  the  whole  land?" 

"Neither  of  them,"  says  Snorri,  "for  those  banish- 
ments are  often  ill  fulfilled,  and  men  have  been  slain  for 
that  sake,  and  atonements  broken,  but  I  will  award  so 
great  a  money  fine  that  no  man  shall  have  had  a  higher 
price  here  in  the  land  than  Hauskuld." 

They  all  spoke  well  of  his  words. 

Then  they  talked  over  the  matter,  and  could  not  agree 
which  should  first  utter  how  great  he  thought  the  fine 
ought  to  be,  and  so  the  end  of  it  was  that  they  cast  lots, 
and  the  lot  fell  on  Snorri  to  utter  it. 

Then  Snorri  said,  "I  will  not  sit  long  over  this,  I  will 
now  tell  you  what  my  utterance  is,  I  will  let  Hauskuld  be 
atoned  for  with  triple  manfines,  but  that  is  six  hundred  in 
silver.  Now  ye  shall  change  it,  if  ye  think  it  too  much  or 
too  little." 

They  said  that  they  would  change  it  in  nothing. 

"This  too  shall  be  added,"  he  said,  "that  all  the  money 
shall  be  paid  down  here  at  the  Thing." 

Then  Gizur  the  white  spoke  and  said — 

"Methinks  that  can  hardly  be,  for  they  will  not  have 
enough  money  to  pay  their  fines." 

"I  know  what  Snorri  wishes,"  said  Gudmund  the  pow- 
erful, "he  wants  that  all  we  daysmen  should  give  such  a 
sum  as  our  bounty  will  bestow,  and  then  many  will  do  as 
we  do." 

Hall  of  the  Side  thanked  him,  and  said  he  would  will- 
ingly give  as  much  as  any  one  else  gave,  and  then  all  the 
other  daysmen  agreed  to  that. 

184 


OF   THE  JUDGES 

After  that  they  went  away,  and  settled  between  them 
that  Hall  should  utter  the  award  at  the  Court  of  Laws. 

So  the  bell  was  rung,  and  all  men  went  to  the  Court  of 
Laws,  and  Hall  of  the  Side  stood  up  and  spoke  — 

"In  this  suit,  in  which,  we  have  come  to  an  award,  we 
have  been  all  well  agreed,  and  we  have  awarded  six  hun- 
dred in  silver,  and  half  this  sum  we  the  daysmen  will 
pay,  but  it  must  all  be  paid  up  here  at  the  Thing.  But 
it  is  my  prayer  to  all  the  people  that  each  man  will  give 
something  for  God's  sake." 

All  answered  well  to  that,  and  then  Hall  took  witness 
to  the  award,  that  no  one  should  be  able  to  break  it. 

Njal  thanked  them  for  their  award,  but  Skarphedinn 
stood  by,  and  held  his  peace,  and  smiled  scornfully. 

Then  men  went  from  the  Court  of  Laws  and  to  their 
booths,  but  the  daysmen  gathered  together  in  the  free- 
man's churchyard  the  money  which  they  had  promised 
to  give. 

Njal's  sons  handed  over  that  money  which  they  had 
by  them,  and  Kari  did  the  same,  and  that  came  to  a  hun- 
dred in  silver. 

Njal  took  out  that  money  which  he  had  with  him,  and 
that  was  another  hundred  in  silver. 

So  this  money  was  all  brought  before  the  Court  of 
Laws,  and  then  men  gave  so  much,  that  not  a  penny  was 
wanting.  Then  Njal  took  a  silken  scarf  and  a  pair  of 
boots  and  laid  them  on  the  top  of  the  heap. 

After  that,  Hall  said  to  Njal,  that  he  should  go  to 
fetch  his  sons,  "but  I  will  go  for  Flosi,  and  now  each  must 
give  the  other  pledges  of  peace." 


15 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  Njal  went  home  to  his  booth,  and  spoke  to  his 
sons  and  said  "Now,  are  our  suits  come  into  a  fair  way 
of  settlement,  now  are  we  men  atoned,  for  all  the  money 
has  been  bought  together  in  one  place;  and  now  either 
side  is  to  go  and  grant  the  other  peace  and  pledges  of 
good  faith.  I  will  therefore  ask  you  this,  my  sons,  not 
to  spoil  these  things  in  any  way." 

Skarphedinn  stroked  his  brow,  and  smiled  scornfully. 
So  they  all  go  to  the  Court  of  Laws. 

Hall  went  to  meet  Flosi  and  said — 

"Go  thou  now  to  the  Court  of  Laws,  for  now  all  the 
money  has  been  bravely  paid  down,  and  it  has  been 
brought  together  in  one  place." 

Then  Flosi  bade  the  sons  of  Sigfus  to  go  up  with  him, 
and  they  all  went  out  of  their  booths.  They  came  from 
the  east,  but  Njal  went  from  the  west  to  the  Court  of 
Laws,  and  his  sons  with  him. 

Skarphedinn  went  to  the  middle  bench  and  stood  there. 

Flosi  went  into  the  Court  of  Laws  to  look  closely  at 
the  money,  and  said — 

"This  money  is  both  great  and  good,  and  well  paid 
down,  as  was  to  be  looked  for." 

After  that  he  took  up  the  scarf,  and  waved  it,  and 
asked — 

"Who  may  have  given  this?" 

But  no  man  answered  him. 

A  second  time  he  waved  the  scarf  and  asked — 

"Who  may  have  given  this?"  and  laughed,  but  no  man 
answered  him. 

Then  Flosi  said — 

186 


OF   THE  JUDGES 

"How  is  it  that  none  of  you  knows  who  has  owned 
this  gear,  or  is  it  that  none  dares  to  tell  me?" 

"Who?"  said  Skarphedinn,  "doest  thou  think,  has 
given  it?" 

;  "If  thou  must  know,"  said  Flosi,  "then  I  will  tell 
thee;  I  think  that  thy  father,  the  'Beardless  Carle'  must 
have  given  it,  for  many  know  not  who  look  at  him 
whether  he  is  more  a  man  than  a  woman." 

"Such  words  are  ill-spoken,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "to 
make  game  of  him,  an  old  man,  and  no  man  of  any  worth 
has  ever  done  so  before.  Ye  may  know,  too,  that  he  is  a 
man,  for  he  has  had  sons  by  his  wife,  and  few  of  our  kins- 
folk have  fallen  unatoned  by  our  house,  so  that  we  have 
not  had  vengeance  for  them." 

Then  Skarphedinn  took  to  himself  the  silken  scarf, 
but  threw  a  pair  of  blue  breeks  to  Flosi,  and  said  he 
would  need  them  more. 

"Why,"  said  Flosi,  "should  I  need  these  more?" 

"Because,"  said  Skarphedinn,  "thou  art  the  sweetheart 
of  the  Swinefell's  goblin,  if,  as  men  say,  he  does  indeed 
turn  thee  into  a  woman  every  ninth  night." 

Then  Flosi  spurned  the  money,  and  said  he  would  not 
touch  a  penny  of  it,  and  then  he  said  he  would  only  have 
one  of  two  things :  either  that  Hauskuld  should  fall  una- 
toned, or  they  would  have  vengeance  for  him. 

Then  Flosi  would  neither  give  nor  take  peace,  and  he 
said  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — 

"Go  we  now  home;  one  fate  shall  befall  us  all." 

Then  they  went  home  to  their  booth,  and  Hall  said — 

"Here  most  unlucky  men  have  a  share  in  this  suit." 

187 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Njal  and  his  sons  went  home  to  their  booth,  and  Njal 
said — 

"Now  comes  to  pass  what  my  heart  told  me  long-  ago, 
that  this  suit  would  fall  heavy  on  us." 

"Not  so,"  says  Skarphedinn;  "they  can  never  pursue 
us  by  the  laws  of  the  land." 

"Then  that  will  happen,"  says  Njal,  "which  will  be 
worse  for  all  of  us." 

Those  men  who  had  given  the  money  spoke  about  it, 
and  said  that  they  should  take  it  back;  but  Gudmund 
the  powerful  said — 

"That  shame  I  will  never  choose  for  myself,  to  take 
back  what  I  have  given  away,  either  here  or  elsewhere." 

"That  is  well  spoken,"  they  said;  and  then  no  one 
would  take  it  back. 

Then  Snorri  the  priest  said,  "My  counsel  is,  that  Gizur 
the  white  and  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son  keep  the  money  till 
the  next  Althing;  my  heart  tells  me  that  no  long  time 
will  pass  ere  there  may  be  need  to  touch  this  money." 

Hjallti  took  half  the  money  and  kept  it  safe,  but  Gizur 
took  the  rest. 

Then  men  went  home  to  their  booths. 

CHAPTER  LXXIII. 

AN  ATTACK  PLANNED  ON  NJAI,  AND  HIS  SONS. 

FLOSI  summoned  all  his  men  up  to  the  "Great  Rift," 
and  went  thither  himself. 

So  when  all  his  men  were  come,  there  were  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  of  them. 

Then  Flosi  spake  thus  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — 

188 


AN  ATTACK  PLANNED  ON  NJAL 

"In  what  way  shall  I  stand  by  you  in  this  quarrel, 
which  will  be  most  to  your  minds?" 

"Nothing  will  please  us,"  said  Gunnar  Lambi's  son, 
"until  those  brothers,  Njal's  sons,  are  all  slain." 

"This,"  said  Flosi,  "will  I  promise  to  you,  ye  sons  of 
Sigfus,  not  to  part  from  this  quarrel  before  one  of  us 
bites  the  dust  before  the  other.  I  will  also  know  whether 
there  be  any  man  here  who  will  not  stand  by  us  in  this 
quarrel." 

But  they  all  said  they  would  stand  by  him. 

Then  Flosi  said — 

"Come  now  all  to  me  and  swear  to  an  oath  that  no 
man  will  shrink  from  this  quarrel." 

Then  all  went  up  to  Flosi  and  swore  oaths  to  him ;  and 
then  Flosi  said — 

"We  will  all  of  us  shake  hands  on  this,  that  he  shall 
have  forfeited  life  and  land  who  quits  this  quarrel  ere  it 
be  over." 

These  were  the  chiefs  who  were  with  Flosi : — Kol  the 
son  of  Thorstein  broadpaunch,  the  brother's  son  of  Hall 
of  the  Side,  Hroald  Auzur's  son  from  Broadwater,  Au- 
zur  son  of  Aunund  wallet-back,  Thorstein  the  fair  the 
son  of  Gerleif,  Glum  Hilldirs  son,  Modolf  Kettle's  son, 
Thorir  son  of  Thord  Illugi's  son  of  Mauratongue,  Kol- 
bein  and  Egil  Flosi's  kinsmen,  Kettle  Sigfus'  son,  and 
Mord  his  brother,  Ingialld  of  the  Springs,  Thorkel  and 
Lambi,  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and 
Sigmund  Sigfus'  son,  and  Hroar  from  Hromundstede. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — 

"Choose  ye  now  a  leader,  whomsoever  ye  think  best 

189 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

fitted;  for  some  one  man  must  needs  be  chief  over  the 
quarrel." 

Then  Kettle  of  the  Mark  answered — 

"If  the  choice  is  to  be  left  with  us  brothers,  then  we 
will  soon  choose  that  this  duty  should  fall  on  thee ;  there 
are  many  things  which  lead  to  this.  Thou  art  a  man  of 
great  birth,  and  a  mighty  chief,  stout  of  heart,  and 
strong  of  body,  and  wise  withal,  and  so  we  think  it  best 
that  thou  shouldst  see  to  all  that  is  needful  in  the  quarrel." 

"It  is  most  fitting,"  said  Flosi,  "that  I  should  agree  to 
undertake  this  as  your  prayer  asks;  and  now  I  will  lay 
down  the  course  which  we  shall  follow,  and  my  counsel 
is,  that  each  man  ride  home  from  the  Thing  and  look 
after  his  household  during  the  summer,  so  long  as  men's 
haymaking  lasts.  I,  too,  will  ride  home,  and  be  at  home 
this  summer;  but  when  that  Lord's  day  comes  on  which 
winter  is  eight  weeks  off,  then  I  will  let  them  sing  me  a 
mass  at  home,  and  afterwards  ride  west  across  Loom- 
nips  Sand;  each  of  our  men  shall  have  two  horses.  I 
will  not  swell  our  company  beyond  those  which  have 
now  taken  the  oath,  for  we  have  enough  and  to  spare  if 
all  keep  true  tryst.  I  will  ride  all  the  Lord's  day  and 
the  night  as  well,  but  at  even  on  the  second  day  of  the 
week,  I  shall  ride  up  to  Threecorner  ridge  about  mid- 
even.  There  shall  ye  then  be  all  come  who  have  sworn 
an  oath  in  this  matter.  But  if  there  be  any  one  who  has 
not  come,  and  who  has  joined  us  in  this  quarrel,  then 
that  man  shall  lose  nothing  save  his  life,  if  we  may  have 
our  way." 

"How  does  that  hang  together,"   said  Kettle,   "that 

190 


AN  ATTACK  PLANNED   ON  NJAL 

thou  canst  ride  from  home  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  come 
the  second  day  of  the  week  to  Threecorner  ridge?" 

"I  will  ride,"  said  Flosi,  "up  from  Skaptartongue, 
and  north  of  the  Eyjafell  Jokul,  and  so  down  into  Goda- 
land,  and  it  may  be  done  if  I  ride  fast.  And  now  I  will 
tell  you  my  whole  purpose,  that  when  we  meet  there  all 
together,  we  shall  ride  to  Bergthorsknoll  with  all  our 
band,  and  fall  on  Njal's  sons  with  fire  and  sword,  and  not 
turn  away  before  they  are  all  dead.  Ye  shall  hide  this 
plan,  for  our  lives  lie  on  it.  And  now  we  will  take  to  our 
horses  and  ride  home." 

Then  they  all  went  to  their  booths. 

After  that  Flosi  made  them  saddle  his  horses,  and  they 
waited  for  no  man,  and  rode  home. 

Flosi  would  not  stay  to  meet  Hall  his  father-in-law, 
for  he  knew  of  a  surety  that  Hall  would  set  his  face 
against  all  strong  deeds. 

Njal  rode  home  from  the  Thing  and  his  sons.  They 
were  at  home  that  summer.  Njal  asked  Kari  his  son-in- 
law  whether  he  thought  at  all  of  riding  east  to  Dyrholms 
to  his  own  house. 

"I  will  not  ride  east,"  answered  Kari,  "for  one  fate 
shall  befall  me  and  thy  sons." 

Njal  thanked  him,  and  said  that  was  only  what  was 
likely  from  him.  There  were  nearly  thirty  fighting  men 
in  Njal's  house,  reckoning  the  house-carles. 

One  day  it  happened  that  Rodny,  Hauskuld's  daughter, 
the  mother  of  Hauskuld  Njal's  son,  came  to  the  Springs. 
Her  brother  Ingialld  greeted  her  well,  but  she  would  not 
take  his  greeting,  but  yet  bade  him  go  out  with  her. 

191 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Ingialld  did  so,  and  went  out  with  her;  and  so  they 
walked  away  from  the  farm-yard  both  together.  Then 
she  clutched  hold  of  him  and  they  both  sat  down,  and 
Rodny  said — 

"Is  it  true  that  thou  hast  sworn  an  oath  to  fall  on  Njal, 
and  slay  him  and  his  sons?" 

"True  it  is,"  said  he. 

"A  very  great  dastard  art  thou,"  she  says,  "thou, 
whom  Njal  hath  thrice  saved  from  outlawry." 

"Still  it  hath  come  to  this,"  says  Ingialld,  "that  my 
life  lies  on  it  if  I  do  not  this." 

"Not  so,"  says  she,  "thou  shalt  live  all  the  same,  and 
be  called  a  better  man,  if  thou  betrayest  not  him  to  whom 
thou  oughtest  to  behave  best." 

Then  she  took  a  linen  hood  out  of  her  bag,  it  was  clot- 
ted with  blood  all  over,  and  torn  and  tattered,  and  said, 
"This  hood,  Hauskuld  Njal's  son,  and  thy  sister's  son, 
had  on  his  head  when  they  slew  him ;  methinks,  then,  it  is 
ill  owing  to  stand  by  those  from  whom  this  mischief 
sprang." 

"Well,"  answers  Ingialld,  "so  it  shall  be  that  I  will  not 
be  against  Njal  whatever  follows  after,  but  still  I  know 
that  they  will  turn  and  throw  trouble  on  me." 

"Now  mightest  thou,"  said  Rodny,  "yield  Njal  and  his 
sons  great  help,  if  thou  tellest  him  all  these  plans." 

"That  I  will  not  do,"  says  Ingialld,  "for  then  I  am 
every  man's  dastard,  if  I  tell  what  was  trusted  to  me  in 
good  faith ;  but  it  is  a  manly  deed  to  sunder  myself  from 
this  quarrel  when  I  know  that  there  is  a  sure  looking  for 
of  vengeance;  but  tell  Njal  and  his  sons  to  beware  of 

192 


AN  ATTACK  PLANNED   ON  NJAL 

themselves  all  this  summer,  for  that  will  be  good  counsel, 
and  to  keep  many  men  about  them." 

Then  she  fared  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  told  Njal  all 
this  talk;  and  Njal  thanked  her,  and  said  she  had  done 
well,  "for  there  would  be  more  wickedness  in  his  falling 
on  me  than  of  all  men  else." 

She  fared  home,  but  he  told  this  to  his  sons. 

There  was  a  carline  at  Bergthorsknoll,  whose  name  was 
Saevuna.  She  was  wise  in  many  things,  and  foresighted ; 
but  she  was  then  very  old,  and  Njal's  sons  called  her  an 
old  dotard,  when  she  talked  so  much,  but  still  some 
things  which  she  said  came  to  pass.  It  fell  one  day  that 
she  took  a  cudgel  in  her  hand,  and  went  up  above  the 
house  to  a  stack  of  vetches.  She  beat  the  stack  of 
vetches  with  her  cudgel,  and  wished  it  might  never  thrive 
"wretch  that  it  was!" 

Skarphedinn  laughed  at  her,  and  asked  why  she  was 
so  angry  with  the  vetch  stack. 

"This  stack  of  vetches,"  said  the  carline,  "will  be  taken 
and  lighted  with  fire  when  Njal  my  master  is  burnt,  house 
and  all,  and  Bergthora  my  foster-child.  Take  it  away 
to  the  water,  or  burn  it  up  as  quick  as  you  can." 

"We  will  not  do  that,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "for  some- 
thing else  will  be  got  to  light  a  fire  with,  if  that  were  fore- 
doomed, though  this  stack  were  not  here." 

The  carline  babbled  the  whole  summer  about  the  vetch- 
stack  that  it  should  be  got  indoors,  but  something  always 
hindered  it. 


193 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 
CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

OF  PORTENTS. 

At  Reykium  on  Skeid  dwelt  one  Runolf  Thorstein's 
son.  His  son's  name  was  Hildiglum.  He  went  out  on 
the  night  of  the  Lord's  day,  when  nine  weeks  were  still 
to  winter;  he  heard  a  great  crash,  so  that  he  thought 
both  heaven  and  earth  shook.  Then  he  looked  into  the 
west  "airt,"  and  he  thought  he  saw  thereabouts  a  ring  of 
fiery  hue,  and  within  the  ring  a  man  on  a  gray  horse. 
He  passed  quickly  by  him,  and  rode  hard.  He  had  a 
flaming  firebrand  in  his  hand,  and  he  rode  so  close  to  him 
that  he  could  see  him  plainly. 

Then  he  thought  he  hurled  the  firebrand  east  towards 
the  fells  before  him,  and  such  a  blaze  of  fire  leapt  up  to 
meet  it  that  he  could  not  see  the  fells  for  the  blaze.  It 
seemed  as  though  that  man  rode  east  among  the  flames 
and  vanished  there. 

After  that  he  went  to  his  bed,  and  was  senseless  a  long 
time,  but  at  last  he  came  to  himself.  He  bore  in  mind 
all  that  had  happened,  and  told  his  father,  but  he  bade 
him  tell  it  to  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son.  So  he  went  and  told 
Hjallti,  but  he  said  he  had  seen  "the  Wolf's  ride,"  and 
that  comes  ever  before  great  tidings. 

CHAPTER  LXXV. 

THE  ONSLAUGHT   ON   BERGTHORSKNOUv. 

Now  Flosi  speaks  to  his  men — 

"Now  we  will  ride  to  Bergthorsknoll,  and  come  thither 
before  supper-time." 

194 


THE  ONSLAUGHT  ON  BERGTHORSKNOLL 

They  do  so.  There  was  a  dell  in  the  knoll,  and  they 
rode  thither,  and  tethered  their  horses  there,  and  stayed 
there  till  the  evening  was  far  spent. 

Then  Flosi  said,  "Now  we  will  go  straight  up  to  the 
house,  and  keep  close,  and  walk  slow,  and  see  what  coun- 
sel they  will  take." 

Njal  stood  out  of  doors,  and  his  sons,  and  Kari  and  all 
the  serving-men,  and  they  stood  in  array  to  meet  them 
in  the  yard,  and  they  were  near  thirty  of  them. 

Flosi  halted  and  said — "Now  we  shall  see  what  counsel 
they  take,  for  it  seems  to  me,  if  they  stand  out  of  doors 
to  meet  us,  as  though  we  should  never  get  the  mastery 
over  them." 

"Then  is  our  journey  bad,"  says  Grani  Gunnar's  son, 
"if  we  are  not  to  dare  to  fall  on  them." 

"Nor  shall  that  be,"  says  Flosi;  "for  we  will  fall  on 
them  though  they  stand  out  of  doors;  but  we  shall  pay 
that  penalty,  that  many  will  not  go  away  to  tell  which 
side  won  the  day." 

Njal  said  to  his  men,  "See  ye  now  what  a  great  band 
of  men  they  have." 

"They  have  both  a  great  and  well-knit  band,"  says 
Skarphedinn;  "but  this  is  why  they  make  a  halt  now, 
because  they  think  it  will  be  a  hard  struggle  to  master 
us." 

"That  cannot  be  why  they  halt,"  says  Njal;  "and  my 
will  is  that  our  men  go  indoors,  for  they  had  hard  work 
to  master  Gunnar  of  Lithend,  though  he  was  alone  to 
meet  them ;  but  here  is  a  strong  house  as  there  was  there, 
and  they  will  be  slow  to  come  to  close  quarters." 

195 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

".This  is  not  to  be  settled  in  that  wise,"  says  Skarphe- 
dinn,  "for  those  chiefs  fell  on  Gunnar's  house,  who  were 
so  noble-minded,  that  they  would  rather  turn  back  than 
burn  him,  house  and  all ;  but  these  will  fall  on  us  at  once 
with  fire,  if  they  cannot  get  at  us  in  any  other  way,  for 
they  will  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  get  the  better  of  us ; 
and  no  doubt  they  think,  as  is  not  unlikely,  that  it  will 
be  their  deaths  if  we  escape  out  of  their  hands.  Besides, 
I  am  unwilling  to  let  myself  be  stifled  indoors  like  a  fox 
in  his  earth." 

"Now,"  said  Njal,  "as  often  it  happens,  my  sons,  ye 
set  my  counsel  at  naught,  and  show  me  no  honour,  but 
when  ye  were  younger  ye  did  not  so,  and  then  your  plans 
were  better  furthered." 

"Let  us  do,"  said  Helgi,  "as  our  father  wills ;  that  will 
be  best  for  us." 

"I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "for 
now  he  is  'fey;'  but  still  I  may  well  humour  my  father 
in  this,  by  being  burnt  indoors  along  with  him,  for  I  am 
not  afraid  of  my  death." 

Then  he  said  to  Kari,  ''Let  us  stand  by  one  another 
well,  brother-in-law,  so  that  neither  parts  from  the  other." 

"That  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  do,"  says  Kari ; 
"but  if  it  should  be  otherwise  doomed, — well!  then  it 
must  be  as  it  must  be,  and  I  shall  not  be  able  to  fight 
against  it." 

"Avenge  us,  and  we  will  avenge  thee,"  says  Skarphe- 
dinn, "if  'we  live  after  thee." 

Kari  said  so  it  should  be. 

Then  they  all  went  in,  and  stood  in  array  at  the  door. 

196 


THE  ONSLAUGHT  ON  BERGTHORSKNOLL 

"Now  are  they  all  'fey,'  "  said  Flosi,  "since  they  have 
gone  indoors,  and  we  will  go  right  up  to  them  as  quickly 
as  we  can,  and  throng  as  close  as  we  can  before  the 
door,  and  give  heed  that  none  of  them,  neither  Kari  nor 
Njal's  sons,  get  away;  for  that  were  our  bane." 

So  Flosi  and  his  men  came  up  to  the  house,  and  set  men 
to  watch  round  the  house,  if  there  were  any  secret  doors 
in  it.  But  Flosi  went  up  to  the  front  of  the  house  with 
his  men. 

Then  Hroald  Auzur's  son  ran  up  to  where  Skarphedinn 
stood,  and  thrust  at  him.  Skarphedinn  hewed  the  spear- 
head off  the  shaft  as  he  held  it,  and  made  another  stroke 
at  him,  and  the  axe  fell  on  the  top  of  the  shield,  and 
dashed  back  the  whole  shield  on  Hroald's  body,  but  the 
upper  horn  of  the  axe  caught  him  on  the  brow,  and  he 
fell  at  full  length  on  his  back,  and  was  dead  at  once. 

"Little  chance  had  that  one  with  thee,  Skarphedinn," 
said  Kari,  "and  thou  art  our  boldest." 

"I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,"  says  Skarphedinn,  and  he 
drew  up  his  lips  and  smiled. 

Kari,  and  Grim,  and  Helgi,  threw  out  many  spears, 
and  wounded  many  men ;  but  Flosi  and  his  men  could  do 
nothing. 

At  last  Flosi  said,  "We  have  already  gotten  great  man- 
scathe  in  our  men;  many  are  wounded,  and  he  slain 
whom  we  would  choose  last  of  all.  It  is  now  clear  that 
we  shall  never  master  them  with  weapons;  many  now 
there  be  who  are  not  so  forward  in  fight  as  they  boasted, 
and  yet  they  were  those  who  goaded  us  on  most.  I  say 
this  most  to  Grani  Gunnar's  son,  and  Gunnar  L,ambi's 

197 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

son,  who  were  the  least  willing  to  spare  their  foes.  But 
still  we  shall  have  to  take  to  some  other  plan  for  our- 
selves, and  now  there  are  but  two  choices  left,  and  neither 
of  them  good.  One  is  to  turn  away,  and  that  is  our 
death ;  the  other,  to  set  fire  to  the  house,  and  burn  them 
inside  it;  and  that  is  a  deed  which  we  shall  have  to  an- 
swer for  heavily  before  God,  since  we  are  Christian  men 
ourselves;  but  still  we  must  take  to  that  counsel." 

CHAPTER  LXXVI. 

NJAI/S  BURNING. 

Now  they  took  fire,  and  made  a  great  pile  before  the 
doors.  Then  Skarphedinn  said — 

"What,  lads !  are  ye  lighting  a  fire,  or  are  ye  taking  to 
cooking?" 

"So  it  shall  be,"  answered  Grani  Gunnar's  son;  "and 
thou  shalt  not  need  to  be  better  done." 

"Thou  repayest  me/'  said  Skarphedinn,  "as  one  may 
look  for  from  the  man  that  thou  art.  I  avenged  thy 
father,  and  thou  settest  most  store  by  that  duty  which  is 
farthest  from  tliee." 

Then  the  women  threw  whey  on  the  fire,  and  quenched 
it  as  fast  as  they  lit  it.  Some,  too,  brought  water,  or 
slops. 

Then  Kol  Thorstein's  son  said  to  Flosi — 

"A  plan  comes  into  my  mind ;  I  have  seen  a  loft  over 
the  hall  among  the  crosstrees,  and  we  will  put  the  fire  in 
there,  and  light  it  with  the  vetch-stack  that  stands  just 
above  the  house." 

Then  they  took  the  vetch-stack  and  set  fire  to  it,  and 

198 


NJAL'S  BURNING 

they  who  were  inside  were  not  aware  of  it  till  the  whole 
hall  was  ablaze  over  their  heads. 

Then  Flosi  and  his  men  made  a  great  pile  before  each 
of  the  doors,  and  then  the  women  folk  who  were  inside 
began  to  weep  and  to  wail. 

Njal  spoke  to  them  and  said,  "Keep  up  your  hearts, 
nor  utter  shrieks,  for  this  is  but  a  passing  storm,  and  it 
will  be  long  before  ye  have  another  such;  and  put  your 
faith  in  God,  and  believe  that  He  is  so  merciful  that  He 
will  not  let  us  burn  both  in  this  world  and  the  next." 

Such  words  of  comfort  had  he  for  them  all,  and  others 
still  more  strong. 

Now  the  whole  house  began  to  blaze.  Then  Njal  went 
to  the  door  and  said — 

"Is  Flosi  so  near  that  he  can  hear  my  voice?" 

Flosi  said  that  he  could  hear  it. 

"Wilt  thou,"  said  Njal,  "take  an  atonement  from  my 
sons,  or  allow  any  men  to  go  out?" 

"I  will  not,"  answers  Flosi,  "take  any  atonement  from 
thy  sons,  and  now  our  dealings  shall  come  to  an  end  once 
for  all,  and  I  will  not  stir  from  this  spot  till  they  are  all 
dead ;  but  I  will  allow  the  women  and  children  and  house- 
carles  to  go  out." 

Then  Njal  went  into  the  house,  and  said  to  the  folk — 
J  "Now  all  those  must  go  out  to  whom  leave  is  given,  and 
so  go  thou  out  Thorhalla  Asgrim's  daughter,  and  all  the 
people  also  with  thee  who  may." 

Then  Thorhalla  said— 

"This  is  another  parting  between  me  and  Helgi  than 
I  thought  of  a  while  ago;  but  still  I  will  egg  on  my 

199 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

father  and  brothers  to  avenge  this  manscathe  which  is 
wrought  here." 

"Go,  and  good  go  with  thee,"  said  Njal,  "for  thou  art 
a  brave  woman." 

After  that  she  went  out  and  much  folk  with  her. 

Then  Astrid  of  Deepback  said  to  Helgi  Njal's  son — 

"Come  thou  out  with  me,  and  I  will  throw  a  woman's 
cloak  over  thee,  and  tire  thy  head  with  a  kerchief." 

He  spoke  against  it  at  first,  but  at  last  he  did  so  at  the 
prayer  of  others. 

So  Astrid  wrapped  the  kerchief  round  Helgi's  head, 
but  Thorhilda,  Skarphedinn's  wife,  threw  a  cloak  over 
him,  and  he  went  out  between  them,  and  then  Thorgerda 
Njal's  daughter,  and  Helga  her  sister,  and  many  other 
folk  went  out  too. 

But  when  Helgi  came  out  Flosi  said — 

"That  is  a  tall  woman  and  broad  across  the  shoulders 
that  went  yonder,  take  her  and  hold  her." 

But  when  Helgi  heard  that,  he  cast  away  the  cloak. 
He  had  got  his  sword  under  his  arm,  and  hewed  at  a 
man,  and  the  blow  fell  on  his  shield  and  cut  off  the  point 
of  it,  and  the  man's  leg  as  well.  Then  Flosi  came  up  and 
hewed  at  Helgi's  neck,  and  took  off  his  head  at  a  stroke. 

Then  Flosi  went  to  the  door  and  called  out  to  Njal, 
and  said  he  would  speak  with  him  and  Bergthora. 

Now  Njal  does  so,  and  Flosi  said — 

"I  will  offer  thee,  master  Njal,  leave  to  go  out,  for  it  is 
unworthy  that  thou  shouldst  burn  indoors." 

"I  will  not  go  out,"  said  Njal,  "for  I  am  an  old  man, 
and  little  fitted  to  avenge  my  sons,  but  I  will  not  live  in 
shame."  2OO 


NJAL'S  BURNING 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Bergthora — 

"Come  thou  out,  housewife,  for  I  will  for  no  sake  burn 
thee  indoors." 

"I  was  given  away  to  Njal  young,"  said  Bergthora, 
"and  I  have  promised  him  this,  that  we  would  both  share 
the  same  fate." 

After  that  they  both  went  back  into  the  house. 

"What  counsel  shall  we  now  take?"  said  Bergthora. 

"We  will  go  to  our  bed,"  says  Njal,  "and  lay  us  down ; 
I  have  long  been  eager  for  rest." 

Then  she  said  to  the  boy  Thord,  Kari's  son — 

"Thee  will  I  take  out,  and  thou  shalt  not  burn  in  here." 

"Thou  hast  promised  me  this,  grandmother,"  says  the 
boy,  "that  we  should  never  part  so  long  as  I  wished  to 
be  with  thee;  but  methinks  it  is  much  better  to  die  with 
thee  and  Njal  than  to  live  after  you." 

Then  she  bore  the  boy  to  her  bed,  and  Njal  spoke  to 
his  steward  and  said — 

"Now  shalt  thou  see  where  we  lay  us  down,  and  how 
I  lay  us  out,  for  I  mean  not  to  stir  an  inch  hence,  whether 
reek  or  burning  smart  me,  and  so  thou  wilt  be  able  to 
guess  where  to  look  for  our  bones." 

He  said  he  would  do  so. 

There  had  been  an  ox  slaughtered  and  the  hide  lay 
there.  Njal  told  the  steward  to  spread  the  hide  over 
them,  and  he  did  so. 

So  there  they  lay  down  both  of  them  in  their  bed,  and 
put  the  boy  between  them.  Then  they  signed  themselves 
and  the  boy  with  the  cross,  and  gave  over  their  souls  into 
God's  hand,  and  that  was  the  last  word  that  men  heard 

them  utter.  ~.T 

16  2°I 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  the  steward  took  the  hide  and  spread  it  over 
them1,  and  went  out  afterwards.  Kettle  of  the  Mark 
caught  hold  of  him,  and  dragged  him  out,  he  asked  care- 
fully after  his  father-in-law  Njal,  but  the  steward  told 
him  the  whole  truth.  Then  Kettle  said — 

"Great  grief  hath  been  sent  on  us,  when  we  have  had 
to  share  such  ill-luck  together." 

Skarphedinn  saw  how  his  father  laid  him  down,  and 
how  he  laid  himself  out,  and  then  he  said — 

"Our  father  goes  early  to  bed,  and  that  is  what  was 
to  be  looked  for,  for  he  is  an  old  man." 

Then  Skarphedinn,  and  Kari,  and  Grim,  caught  the 
brands  as  fast  as  they  dropped  down,  and  hurled  them 
out  at  them,  and  so  it  went  on  a  while.  Then  they  hurled 
spears  in  at  them,  but  they  caught  them  all  as  they  flew, 
and  sent  them  back  again. 

Then  Flosi  bade  them  cease  shooting,  "for  all  feats  of 
arms  will  go  hard  with  us  when  we  deal  with  them;  ye 
may  well  wait  till  the  fire  overcomes  them." 

So  they  do  that,  and  shoot  no  more. 

Then  the  great  beams  out  of  the  roof  began  to  fall, 
and  Skarphedinn  said — 

"Now  must  my  father  be  dead,  and  I  have  neither 
heard  groan  nor  cough  from  him." 

Then  they  went  to  the  end  of  the  hall,  and  there  had 
fallen  down  a  cross-beam  inside  which  was  much  burnt 
in  the  middle. 

Kari  spoke  to  Skarphedinn,  and  said — "Leap  thou  out 
here,  and  I  will  help  thee  to  do  so,  and  I  will  leap  out 
after  thee,  and  then  we  shall  both  get  away  if  we  set  about 
it  so,  for  hitherward  blows  all  the  smoke." 

202 


NJAL'S  BURNING 

"Thou  shalt  leap  first,"  said  Skarphedinn ;  "but  I  will 
leap  straightaway  on  thy  heels." 

"That  is  not  wise,"  says  Kari,  "for  I  can  get  out  well 
enough  elsewhere,  though  it  does  not  come  about  here." 

"I  will  not  do  that,"  says  Skarphedinn ;  "leap  thou  out 
first,  but  I  will  leap  after  thee  at  once." 

"It  is  bidden  to  every  man,"  says  Kari,  "to  seek  to 
save  his  life  while  he  has  a  choice,  and  I  will  do  so  now; 
but  still  this  parting  of  ours  will  be  in  such  wise  that  we 
shall  never  see  one  another  more;  for  if  I  leap  out  of  the 
fire,  I  shall  have  no  mind  to  leap  back  into  the  fire  to 
thee,  and  then  each  of  us  will  have  to  fare  his  own  way." 

"It  joys  me,  brother-in-law,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "to 
think  that  if  thou  gettest  away  thou  wilt  avenge  me." 

Then  Kari  took  up  a  blazing  bench  in  his  hand,  and 
runs  up  along  the  cross-beam,  then  he  hurls  the  bench 
out  at  the  roof,  and  it  fell  among  those  who  were  outside. 

Then  they  ran  away,  and  by  that  time  all  Kari's  upper- 
clothing  and  his  hair  were  ablaze,  then  he  threw  himself 
down  from  the  roof,  and  so  crept  along  with  the  smoke. 

Then  one  man  said  who  was  nearest — 

"Was  that  a  man  that  leapt  out  at  the  roof?" 

"Far  from  it,"  says  another;  "more  likely  it  was 
Skarphedinn  who  hurled  a  firebrand  at  us." 

I 

After  that  they  had  no  more  mistrust. 

Kari  ran  till  he  came  to  a  stream,  and  then  he  threw 
himself  down  into  it,  and  so  quenched  the  fire  on  him. 

After  that  he  ran  along  under  shelter  of  the  smoke  into 
a  hollow,  and  rested  him  there,  and  that  has  since  been 
called  Kari's  Hollow. 

203 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

CHAPTER  LXXVII. 
SKARPHEDINN'S  DEATH. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Skarphedinn  that  he  runs  out 
on  the  cross-beam  straight  after  Kari,  but  when  he  came 
to  where  the  beam  was  most  burnt,  then  it  broke  down 
under  him.  Skarphedinn  came  down  on  his  feet,  and 
tried  again  the  second  time,  and  climbs  up  the  wall  with 
a  run,  then  down  on  him  came  the  wall-plate,  and  he  top- 
pled down  again  inside. 

Then  Skarphedinn  said — "Now  one  can  see  what  will 
come;"  and  then  he  went  along  the  side  wall.  Gunnar 
Lambi's  son  leapt  up  on  the  wall  and  sees  Skarphedinn; 
he  spoke  thus — 

"Weepest  thou  now,  Skarphedinn?" 

"Not  so,"  says  Skarphedinn,  "but  true  it  is  that  the 
smoke  makes  one's  eyes  smart,  but  is  it  as  it  seems  to 
me,  dost  thou  laugh?" 

"So  it  is  surely,"  says  Gunnar,  "and  I  have  never 
laughed  since  thou  slewest  Thrain  on  Markfleet." 

Then  Skarphedinn  said — "Here  now  is  a  keepsake  for 
thee;"  and  with  that  he  took  out  of  his  purse  the  jaw- 
tooth  which  he  had  hewn  out  of  Thrain,  and  threw  it  at 
Gunnar,  and  struck  him  in  the  eye,  so  that  it  started  out 
and  lay  on  his  cheek. 

Then  Gunnar  fell  down  from  the  roof. 

Skarphedinn  then  went  to  his  brother  Grim,  and  they 
held  one  another  by  the  hand  and  trode  the  fire ;  but  when 
they  came  to  the  middle  of  the  hall  Grim  fell  down  dead. 

Then  Skarphedinn  went  to  the  end  of  the  house,  and 

204 


SKARPHEDINN'S  DEATH 

then  there  was  a  great  crash,  and  down  fell  the  roof. 
Skarphedinn  was  then  shut  in  between  it  and  the  gable, 
and  so  he  could  not  stir  a  step  thence. 

Flosi  and  his  band  stayed  by  the  fire  until  it  was  broad 
daylight;  then  came  a  man  riding  up  to  them.  Flosi 
asked  him  for  his  name,  but  he  said  his  name  was  Geir- 
mund,  and  that  he  was  a  kinsman  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus. 

"Ye  have  done  a  mighty  deed,"  he  says. 

"Men,"  says  Flosi,  "will  call  it  both  a  mighty  deed 
and  an  ill  deed,  but  that  can't  be  helped  now." 

"How  many  men  have  lost  their  lives  here?"  asks  Geir- 
mund. 

"Here  have  died,"  says  Flosi,  "Njal  and  Bergthora 
and  all  their  sons,  Thord  Kari's  son,  Kari  Solmund's 
son,  but  besides  these  we  cannot  say  for  a  surety,  because 
we  know  not  their  names." 

"Thou  tellest  him  now  dead,"  said  Geirmund,  "with 
whom  we  have  gossiped  this  morning." 

"Who  is  that?"  says  Flosi. 

"We  two,"  says  Geirmund,  "I  and  my  neighbour  Bard, 
met  Kari  Solmund's  son,  and  Bard  gave  him  his  horse, 
and  his  hair  and  his  upper  clothes  were  burned  off  him." 

"Had  he  any  weapons?"  asks  Flosi. 

"He  had  the  sword  'Life-luller/  "  says  Geirmund,  "and 
one  edge  of  it  was  blue  with  fire,  and  Bard  and  I  said 
that  it  must  have  become  soft,  but  he  answered  thus,  that 
he  would  harden  it  in  the  blood  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus  or 
the  other  Burners." 

"What  said  he  of  Skarphedinn  ?"  said  Flosi. 

"He  said  both  he  and  Grim  were  alive,"  answers  Geir- 

265 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

mund,  "when  they  parted;  but  he  said  that  now  they  must 
be  dead." 

"Thou  hast  told  us  a  tale,"  said  Flosi,  "which  bodes 
us  no  idle  peace,  for  that  man  hath  now  got  away  who 
comes  next  to  Gunnar  of  Lithend  in  all  things ;  and  now, 
ye  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  ye  other  Burners,  know  this,  that 
such  a  great  blood  feud,  and  hue  and  cry  will  be  made 
about  this  burning,  that  it  will  make  many  a  man  head- 
less, but  some  will  lose  all  their  goods.  Now  I  doubt 
much  whether  any  man  of  you,  ye  sons  of  Sigfus,  will 
dare  to  stay  in  his  house;  and  that  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at ;  and  so  I  will  bid  you  all  to  come  and  stay  with  me  in 
the  east,  and  let  us  all  share  one  fate." 

They  thanked  him  for  his  offer,  and  said  they  would 
be  glad  to  take  it. 

"We  shall  have  to  boast  of  something  else  than  that 
Njal  has  been  burnt  in  his  house,"  says  Flosi,  "for  there 
is  no  glory  in  that." 

Then  he  went  up  on  the  gable,  and  Glum'  Hilldir's  son, 
and  some  other  men.  Then  Glum  said,  "Is  Skarphedinn 
dead,  indeed?"  But  the  others  said  he  must  have  been 
dead  long  ago. 

The  fire  sometimes  blazed  up  fitfully  and  sometimes 
burned  low,  and  then  they  heard  down  in  the  fire  beneath 
them  that  this  song  was  sung — 

Deep,  I  ween,  ye  Ogre  offspring! 
Devilish  brood  of  giant  birth, 
Would  ye  groan  with  gloomy  visage 
Had  the  fight  gone  to  my  mind; 


2O6 


DEATH 

But  my  very  soul  is  gladness 
That  my  friends  who  now  boast  high, 
Wrought  not  this  foul  deed,  their  glory, 
Save  with  footsteps  filled  with  gore. 

"Can  Skarphedinn,  think  ye,  have  sung  this  song  dead 
or  alive?"  said  Grani  Gunnar's  son. 

"I  will  go  into  no  guesses  about  that,"  says  Flosi. 

"We  will  look  for  Skarphedinn,"  says  Grani,  "and  the 
other  men  who  have  been  here  burnt  inside  the  house." 

"That  shall  not  be,"  says  Flosi,  "it  is  just  like  such 
foolish  men  as  thou  art,  now  that  men  will  be  gathering 
force  all  over  the  country;  and  when  they  do  come,  I 
trow  the  very  same  man  who  now  lingers  will  be  so  scared 
that  he  will  not  know  which  way  to  run;  and  now  my 
counsel  is  that  we  all  ride  away  as  quickly  as  ever  we 
can." 

Then  Flosi  went  hastily  to  his  horse  and  all  his  men. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Geirmund — 

"Is  Ingialld,  thinkest  thou,  at  home,  at  the  Springs?" 

Geirmund  said  he  thought  he  must  be  at  home. 

"There  now  is  a  man,"  says  Flosi,  "who  has  broken 
his  oath  with  us  and  all  good  faith." 

.Then  Flosi  said  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus — "What  course 
will  ye  now  take  with  Ingialld;  will  ye  forgive  him,  or 
shall  we  now  fall  on  him  and  slay  him?" 

They  all  answered  that  they  would  rather  fall  on  him 
and  slay  him. 

Then  Flosi  jumped  on  his  horse,  and  all  the  others, 
and  they  rode  away.  Flosi  rode  first,  and  shaped  his 
course  for  Rangriver,  and  up  along  the  river  bank. 

207 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  he  saw  a  man  riding  down  on  the  other  bank  of 
the  river,  and  he  knew  that  there  was  Ingialld  of  the 
Springs.  Flosi  calls  out  to  him.  Ingialld  halted  and 
turned  down  to  the  river  bank;  and  Flosi  said  to  him — 

"Thou  hast  broken  faith  with  us,  and  hast  forfeited 
life  and  goods.  Here  now  are  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  who 
are  eager  to  slay  thee;  but  methinks  thou  hast  fallen  into 
a  strait,  and  I  will  give  thee  thy  life  if  thou  will  hand 
over  to  me  the  right  to  make  my  own  award." 

"I  will  sooner  ride  to  meet  Kari,"  said  Ingialld,  "than 
grant  thee  the  right  to  utter  thine  own  award,  and  my 
answer  to  the  sons  of  Sigfus  is  this,  that  I  shall  be  no 
whit  more  afraid  of  them  than  they  are  of  me." 

"Bide  thou  there,"  says  Flosi,  "if  thou  art  not  a  cow- 
ard, for  I  will  send  thee  a  gift." 

"I  will  bide  of  a  surety,"  says  Ingialld. 

Thorstein  Kolbein's  son,  Flosi's  brother's  son,  rode  up 
by  his  side,  and  had  a  spear  in  his  hand,  he  was  one  of 
the  bravest  of  men,  and  the  most  worthy  of  those  who 
were  with  Flosi. 

Flosi  snatched  the  spear  from  him,  and  launched  it  at 
Ingialld,  and  it  fell  on  his  left  side,  and  passed  through 
the  shield  just  below  the  handle,  and  clove  it  all  asunder, 
but  the  spear  passed  on  into  his  thigh  just  above  the 
knee-pan,  and  so  on  into  the  saddle-tree,  and  there  stood 
fast. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Ingialld — 

"Did  it  touch  thee?" 

"It  touched  me  sure  enough/'  says  Ingialld,  "but  I  call 
this  a  scratch  and  not  a  wound." 

208 


SKARPHEDINN'S  DEATH 

Then  Ingialld  plucked  the  spear  out  of  the  wound,  and 
said  to  Flosi — 

"Now  bide  thou,  if  thou  art  not  a  milksop." 

Then  he  launched  the  spear  back  over  the  river.  Flosi 
sees  that  the  spear  is  coming  straight  for  his  middle,  and 
then  he  backs  his  horse  out  of  the  way,  but  the  spear 
flew  in  front  of  Flosi's  horse,  and  missed  him,  but  it 
struck  Thorstein's  middle,  and  down  he  fell  at  once  dead 
off  his  horse. 

Now  Ingialld  runs  for  the  wood,  and  they  could  not 
get  at  him. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"Now  have  we  gotten  manscathe,  and  now  we  may 
know,  when  such  things  befall  us,  into  what  a  luckless 
state  we  have  got.  Now  it  is  my  counsel  that  we  ride 
up  to  Threecorner  ridge;  thence  we  shall  be  able  to  see 
where  men  ride  all  over  the  country,  for  by  this  time  they 
will  have  gathered  together  a  great  band,  and  they  will 
think  that  we  have  ridden  east  to  Fleetlithe  from  Three- 
corner  ridge;  and  thence  they  will  think  that  we  are  rid- 
ing north  up  on  the  fell,  and  so  east  to  our  own  country, 
and  thither  the  greater  part  of  the  folk  will  ride  after  us ; 
but  some  will  ride  the  coast  road  east  to  Selialandsmull, 
and  yet  they  will  think  there  is  less  hope  of  finding  us 
thitherward,  but  I  will  now  take  counsel  for  all  of  us, 
and  my  plan  is  to  ride  up  into  Threecorner-fell,  and  bide 
there  till  three  suns  have  risen  and  set  in  heaven." 


209 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 

NJAI/S  AND  BERGTHORA'S  BONES  FOUND. 

KARI  bade  Hjallti  to  go  and  search  for  Njal's  bones, 
"for  all  will  believe  in  what  thou  sayest  and  thinkest  about 
them." 

Hjallti  said  he  would  be  most  willing  to  bear  Njal's 
bones  to  church ;  so  they  rode  thence  fifteen  men.  They 
rode  east  over  Thurso-water,  and  called  on  men  there  to 
come  with  them  till  they  had  one  hundred  men,  reckon- 
ing Njal's  neighbours. 

They  came  to  Bergthorsknoll  at  mid-day. 

Hjallti  asked  Kari  under  what  part  of  the  house  Njal 
might  be  lying,  but  Kari  showed  them  to  the  spot,  and 
there  was  a  great  heap  of  ashes  to  dig  away.  There  they 
found  the  hide  underneath,  and  it  was  as  though  it  were 
shrivelled  with  the  fire.  They  raised  up  the  hide,  and  lo! 
they  were  unburnt  under  it.  All  praised  God  for  that, 
and  thought  it  was  a  great  token. 

Then  the  boy  was  taken  up  who  had  lain  between  them, 
and  of  him  a  finger  was  burnt  off  which  he  had  stretched 
out  from  under  the  hide. 

Njal  was  borne  out,  and  so  was  Bergthora,  and  then 
all  men  went  to  see  their  bodies. 

Then  Hjallti  said — "What  like  look  to  you  these  bod- 
ies?" 

They  answered,  "We  will  wait  for  thy  utterance." 

Then  Hjallti  said,  "I  shall  speak  what  I  say  with  all 
freedom  of  speech.  The  body  of  Bergthora  looks  as  it 
was  likely  she  would  look,  and  still  fair;  but  Njal's  body 

210 


NJAL'S  AND  BERGTHORA'S  BONES  FOUND 

and  visage  seem  to  me  so  bright  that  I  have  never  seen 
any  dead  man's  body  so  bright  as  this." 

They  all  said  they  thought  so  too. 

Then  they  sought  for  Skarphedinn,  and  the  men  of 
the  household  showed  them  to  the  spot  where  Flosi  and 
his  men  heard  the  song  sung,  and  there  the  roof  had 
fallen  down  by  the  gable,  and  there  Hjallti  said  that  they 
should  look.  Then  they  did  so,  and  found  Skarphedinn's 
body  there,  and  he  had  stood  up  hard  by  the  gable-wall, 
and  his  legs  were  burnt  off  him  right  up  to  the  knees,  but 
all  the  rest  of  him  was  unburnt.  He  had  bitten  through 
his  under  lip,  his  eyes  were  wide  open  and  not  swollen 
nor  starting  out  of  his  head ;  he  had  driven  his  axe  into 
the  gable-wall  so  hard  that  it  had  gone  in  up  to  the  middle 
of  the  blade,  and  that  was  why  it  was  not  softened. 

After  that  the  axe  was  broken  out  of  the  wall,  and 
Hjallti  took  up  the  axe  and  said — 

"This  is  a  rare  weapon,  and  few  would  be  able  to 
wield  it." 

"I  see  a  man,"  said  Kari,  "who  shall  bear  the  axe." 

"Who  is  that,"  says  Hjallti. 

"Thorgeir  Craggeir,"  says  Kari,  "he  whom  I  now 
think  to  be  the  greatest  man  in  all  their  family." 

Then  Skarphedinn  was  stripped  of  his  clothes,  for  they 
were  unburnt;  he  had  laid  his  hands  in  a  cross,  and  the 
right  hand  uppermost.  They  found  marks  on  him;  one 
between  his  shoulders  and  the  other  on  his  chest,  and 
both  were  branded  in  the  shape  of  a  cross,  and  men 
thought  that  he  must  have  burnt  them  in  himself. 

All  men  said  that  they  thought  that  it  was  better  to  be 

211 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

near  Skarphedinn  dead  than  they  weened,  for  no  man  was 
afraid  of  him. 

They  sought  for  the  bones  of  Grim,  and  found  them  in 
the  midst  of  the  hall.  They  found,  too,  there,  right  over 
against  him  under  the  side  wall,  Thord  Freedmanson; 
but  in  the  weaving-room  they  found  Saevuna  the  carline, 
and  three  men  more.  In  all  they  found  there  the  bones 
of  nine  souls.  Now  they  carried  the  bodies  to  the  church 
and  then  Hjallti  rode  home  and  Kari  with  him.  A  swell- 
ing came  on  Ingialld's  leg,  and  then  he  fared  to  Hjallti, 
and  was  healed  there,  but  still  he  limped  ever  afterwards. 

Kari  rode  to  Tongue  to  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son.  By 
that  time  Thorhalla  was  come  home,  and  she  had  already 
told  the  tidings.  Asgrim  took  Kari  by  both  hands,  and 
bade  him  be  there  all  that  year.  Kari  said  so  it  should  be. 

Asgrim  asked  besides  all  the  folk  who  had  been  in  the 
house  at  Bergthorsknoll  to  stay  with  him.  Kari  said  that 
was  well  offered,  and  said  he  would  take  it  on  their  behalf. 

Then  all  the  folk  were  flitted  thither. 

Thorhall  Asgrim's  son  was  so  startled  when  he  was 
told  that  his  foster-father  Njal  was  dead,  and  that  he  had 
been  burnt  in  his  house,  that  he  swelled  all  over,  and  a 
stream  of  blood  burst  out  of  both  his  ears,  and  could  not 
be  staunched  and  he  fell  into  a  swoon,  and  then  it  was 
staunched. 

After  that  he  stood  up,  and  said  he  had  behaved  like  a 
coward,  "but  1  would  that  I  might  be  able  to  avenge  this 
which  has  befallen  me  on  some  of  those  who  burnt  him." 

But  when  others  said  that  no  one  would  think  this  a 
shame  to  him,  he  said  he  could  not  stop  the  mouths  of 
the  people  from  talking  about  it. 

212 


NJAUS  AND  BERGTHORA'S  BONES  FOUND 

Asgrim  asked  Kari  what  trust  and  help  he  thought  he 
might  look  for  from  those  east  of  the  rivers.  Kari  said 
that  Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  Hjallti,  Skeggi's  son, 
would  yield  him  all  the  help  they  could,  and  so,  too,  would 
Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and  all  those  brothers. 

Asgrim  said  that  was  great  strength. 

"What  strength  shall  we  have  from  thee?"  says  Kari. 

"All  that  I  can  give,"  says  Asgrim,  "and  I  will  lay 
down  my  life  on  it." 

"So  do,"  says  Kari. 

"I  have  also,"  says  Asgrim,  "brought  Gizur  the  white 
into  the  suit,  and  have  asked  his  advice  how  we  shall  set 
about  it." 

"What  advice  did  he  give?"  asks  Kari. 

"He  counselled,"  answers  Asgrim,  "  'that  we  should 
hold  us  quite  still  till  spring,  but  then  ride  east  and  set  the 
suit  on  foot  against  Flosi  for  the  manslaughter  of  Helgi, 
and  summon  the  neighbours  from  their  homes,  and  give 
due  notice  at  the  Thing  of  the  suits  for  the  burning,  and 
summon  the  same  neighbours  there  too  on  the  inquest 
before  the  court.  I  asked  Gizur  who  should  plead  the 
suit  for  manslaughter,  but  he  said  that  Mord  should  plead 
it  whether  he  liked  it  or  not,  and  now,'  he  went  on,  'it 
shall  fall  most  heavily  on  him  that  up  to  this  time  all 
the  suits  he  has  undertaken  have  had  the  worst  ending. 
Kari  shall  also  be  wroth  whenever  he  meets  Mord,  and 
so,  if  he  be  made  to  fear  on  one  side,  and  has  to  look 
to  me  on  the  other,  then  he  will  undertake  the  duty.' ' 

Then  Karl  said,  "We  will  follow  thy  counsel  as  long 
as  we  can,  and  thou  shalt  lead  us." 

213 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

It  is  to  be  told  of  Kari  that  he  could  not  sleep  of  nights. 
Asgrim  woke  up  one  night  and  heard  that  Kari  was 
awake,  and  Asgrim  said — "Is  it  that  thou  canst  not  sleep 
at  night?" 

Kari  spoke  of  no  men  so  often  as  of  Njal  and  Skarphe- 
dinn,  and  Bergthora  and  Helgi.  He  never  abused  his 
foes,  and  never  threatened  them. 

CHAPTER  LXXIX. 

FLOSl's    DREAM. 

ONE  night  it  so  happened  that  Flosi  struggled  much  in 
his  sleep.  Glum  Hilldir's  son  woke  him  up,  and  then 
Flosi  said — 

"Call  me  Kettle  of  the  Mark." 

Kettle  came  thither,  and  Flosi  said,  "I  will  tell  thee 
my  dream." 

"I  am  ready  to  hear  it,"  says  Kettle. 

"I  dreamt,"  says  Flosi,  "that  methought  I  stood  below 
Loom-nip,  and  went  out  and  looked  up  to  the  Nip,  and 
all  at  once  it  opened,  and  a  man  came  of  the  Nip,  and  he 
was  clad  in  goatskins,  and  had  an  iron  staff  in  his  hand. 
He  called,  as  he  walked,  on  many  of  my  men,  some 
sooner  and  some  later,  and  named  them  by  name.  First 
he  called  Grim  the  Red  my  kinsman,  and  Arni  Kol's  son. 
Then  methought  something  strange  followed,  methought 
he  called  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son,  and  Ljot  son  of  Hall  of 
the  Side,  and  some  six  men  more.  Then  he  held  his  peace 
awhile.  After  that  he  called  five  men  of  our  band,  and 
among  them  were  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  thy  brothers ;  then 
he  called  other  six  men,  and  among  them  were  Lambi, 

214 


FLOSI'S  DREAM 

and  Modolf,  and  Glum.  Then  he  called  three  men.  Last 
of  all  he  called  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Kol  Thorstein's 
son.  After  that  he  came  up  to  me;  I  asked  him  'what 
news.'  He  said  he  had  tidings  enough  to  tell.  Then  I 
asked  him  for  his  name,  but  he  called  himself  Irongrim. 
I  asked  him  whither  he  was  going ;  he  said  he  had  to  fare 
to  the  Althing.  'What  shalt  thou  do  there?'  I  said.  'First 
I  shall  challenge  the  inquest/  he  answers,  'and  then  the 
courts,  then  clear  the  field  for  fighters/  After  that  he 
sang  this  song — 

"  'Soon  a  man  death's  snake-strokes  dealing 
High  shall  lift  his  head  on  earth, 
Here  amid  the  dust  low  rolling 
Battered  brainpans  men  shall  see; 
Now  upon  the  hills  in  hurly 
Buds  the  blue  steel's  harvest  bright; 
Soon  the  bloody  dew  of  battle 
Thigh-deep  through  the  ranks  shall  rise.' 

"Then  he  shouted  with  such  a  mighty  shout  that  me- 
thought  every  thing  near  shook,  and  dashed  down  his 
staff,  and  there  was  a  mighty  crash.  Then  he  went  back 
into  the  fell,  but  fear  clung  to  me;  and  now  I  wish  thee 
to  tell  me  what  thou  thinkest  this  dream  is/' 

"It  is  my  foreboding,"  says  Kettle,  "that  all  those  who 
,  were  called  must  be  'fey/  It  seems  to  me  good  counsel 
that  we  tell  this  dream  to  no  man  just  now." 

Flosi  said  so  it  should  be.  Now  the  winter  passes  away 
till  Yule  was  over.  Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"Now  I  mean  that  we  should  fare  from  home,  for  me- 
thinks  we  shall  not  be  able  to  have  an  idle  peace.  Now 

215 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

we  shall  fare  to  pray  for  help,  and  now  that  will  come 
true  which  I  told  you,  that  we  should  have  to  bow  the 
knee  to  many  ere  this  quarrel  were  ended." 

CHAPTER  LXXX. 
OF  THORHAU,  AND  KARI. 

THORHAU,  Asgrim's  son,  and  Kari  Solmund's  son, 
rode  one  day  to  Mossfell  to  see  Gizur  the  white ;  he  took 
them  with  both  hands,  and  there  they  were  at  his  house 
a  very  long  while.  Once  it  happened  as  they  and  Gizur 
talked  of  Njal's  burning,  that  Gizur  said  it  was  very 
great  luck  that  Kari  had  got  away. 

Then  Gizur  said,  "It  must  be  forgiven  thee  that  thou 
art  mindful,  and  so  we  will  talk  no  more  about  it  just 
now." 

Kari  says  that  he  will  ride  home;  and  Gizur  said,  "I 
will  now  make  a  clean  breast  of  my  counsel  to  thee.  Thou 
shalt  not  ride  home,  but  still  thou  shalt  ride  away,  and 
east  under  Eyjafell,  to  see  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and  Thor- 
leif  crow.  They  shall  ride  from  the  east  with  thee.  They 
are  the  next  of  kin  in  the  suit,  and  with  them  shall  ride 
Thorgrim,  the  big,  their  brother.  Ye  shall  ride  to  Mord 
Valgard's  son's  house,  and  tell  him  this  message  from 
me,  that  he  shall  take  up  the  suit  for  manslaughter  for 
Helgi  Njal's  son  against  Flosi.  But  if  he  utters  any 
words  against  this,  then  shalt  thou  make  thyself  most 
wrathful,  and  make  believe  as  though  thou  wouldst  let 
thy  axe  fall  on  his  head;  and  in  the  second  place,  thou 
shalt  assure  him  of  my  wrath  if  he  shows  any  ill  will. 
Along  with  that  shalt  thou  say,  that  I  will  send  and  fetch 

216 


OF  THORHALL  AND  KARI 

away  my  daughter  Thorkatla,  and  make  her  come  home 
to  me ;  but  that  he  will  not  abide,  for  he  loves  her  as  the 
very  eyes  in  his  head." 

Kari  thanked  him  for  his  counsel.  Kari  spoke  nothing 
of  help  to  him,  for  he  thought  he  would  show  himself  his 
good  friend  in  this  as  in  other  things. 

Thence  Kari  rode  east  over  the  rivers,  and  so  to  Fleet- 
lithe,  and  east  across  Markfleet,  and  so  on  to  Selialands- 
mull.  So  they  ride  east  to  Holt. 

Thorgeir  welcomed  them  with  the  greatest  kindliness. 
He  told  them  of  Flosi's  journey,  and  how  great  help  he 
had  got  in  the  east  firths. 

Kari  said  it  was  no  wonder  that  he,  who  had  to  answer 
for  so  much,  should  ask  for  help  for  himself. 

Then  Thorgeir  said,  "The  better  things  go  for  them, 
the  worse  it  shall  be  for  them ;  we  will  only  follow  them 
up  so  much  the  harder." 

Kari  told  Thorgeir  of  Gizur's  advice.  After  that  they 
ride  from  the  east  to  Rangrivervale  to  Mord  Valgard's 
son's  house.  He  gave  them  a  hearty  welcome.  Kari  told 
him  the  message  of  Gizur  his  father-in-law.  He  was  slow 
to  take  the  duty  on  him,  and  said  it  was  harder  to  go  to 
law  with  Flosi  than  with  any  other  ten  men. 

"Thou  behavest  now  as  he  (Gizur)  thought,"  said 
Kari ;  "for  thou  art  a  bad  bargain  in  every  way ;  thou  art 
both  a  coward  and  heartless,  but  the  end  of  this  shall 
be  as  is  fitting,  that  Thorkatla  shall  fare  home  to  her 
father." 

She  busked  her  at  once,  and  said  she  had  long  been 
"boun"  to  part  from  Mord.  Then  he  changed  his  mood 

217 
17 


THE  STORY  OP  BURNT  KJAl 

and  his  words  quickly,  and  begged  off  their  wrath,  and 
took  the  suit  upon  him  at  once. 

"Now,"  said  Kari,  "thou  hast  taken  the  suit  upon  thee, 
see  that  thou  pleadest  it  without  fear,  for  thy  life  lies 
on  it." 

Mord  said  he  would  lay  his  whole  heart  on  it  to  do 
this  well  and  manfully. 

After  that  Mord  summoned  to  him  nine  neighbours — 
they  were  all  near  neighbours  to  the  spot  where  the  deed 
was  done.  Then  Mord  took  Thorgeir  by  the  hand  and 
named  two  witnesses  to  bear  witness,  "that  Thorgeir 
Thorir's  son  hands  me  over  a  suit  for  manslaughter 
against  Flosi  Thord's  son,  to  plead  it  for  the  slaying  of 
Helgi  Njal's  son,  with  all  those  proofs  which  have  to  fol- 
low the  suit.  Thou  handest  over  to  me  this  suit  to  plead 
and  to  settle,  and  to  enjoy  all  rights  in  it,  as  though  I 
were  the  rightful  next  of  kin.  Thou  handest  it  over  to 
me  by  law,  and  I  take  it  from  thee  by  law." 

A  second  time  Mord  named  his  witnesses,  "to  bear  wit- 
ness," said  he,  "that  I  give  notice  of  an  assault  laid  down 
by  law  against  Flosi  Thord's  son,  for  that  he  dealt  Helgi 
Njal's  son  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which 
proved  a  death  wound;  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his 
death.  I  give  notice  of  this  before  five  witnesses" — here 
he  named  them  all  by  name — "I  give  this  lawful  notice. 
I  give  notice  of  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  has 
handed  over  to  me." 

Again  he  named  witnesses  to  "bear  witness  that  I  give 
notice  of  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound  against 
Flosi  Thord's  son,  for  that  wound  which  proved  a  death 

218 


OF  THORHALL  AND  KARI 

wound,  but  Helgi  got  his  death  therefrom  on  such  and 
such  a  spot,  when  Flosi  Thord's  son  first  rushed  on  Helgi 
Njal's  son  with  an  assault  laid  down  by  law.  I  give  no- 
tice of  this  before  five  neighbours" — then  he  named  them 
all  by  name — "I  give  this  lawful  notice.  I  give  notice  of 
a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  has  handed  over  to 
me." 

Then  Mord  named  his  witnesses  again  "to  bear  wit- 
ness," said  he,  "that  I  summon  these  nine  neighbours 
who  dwell  nearest  the  spot" — here  he  named  them  all  by 
name — "to  ride  to  the  Althing,  and  to  sit  on  the  inquest 
to  find  whether  Flosi  Thord's  son  rushed  with  an  assault 
laid  down  by  law  on  Helgi  Njal's  son,  on  that  spot  where 
Flosi  Thord's  son  dealt  Helgi  Njal's  son  a  brain,  or  a 
body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which  proved  a  death  wound, 
and  from  which  Helgi  got  his  death.  I  call  on  you  to 
utter  all  those  words  which  ye  are  bound  to  find  by  law, 
and  which  I  shall  call  on  you  to  utter  before  the  court, 
and  which  belong  to  this  suit ;  I  call  upon  you  by  a  law- 
ful summons — I  call  on  you  so  that  ye  may  yourselves 
hear — I  call  on  you  in  the  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's 
son  handed  over  to  me." 

Again  Mord  named  his  witnesses,  "to  bear  witness, 
that  I  summon  these  nine  neighbours  who  dwell  nearest 
to  the  spot  to  ride  to  the  Althing,  and  to  sit  on  an  inquest 
to  find  whether  Flosi  Thord's  son  wounded  Helgi  Njal's 
son  with  a  brain,  or  body,  or  marrow  wound,  which 
proved  a  death  wound,  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his 
death,  on  that  spot  where  Flosi  Thord's  son  first  rushed 
on  Helgi  Njal's  son  with  an  assault  laid  down  by  law. 

219 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

I  call  on  you  to  utter  all  those  words  which  ye  are  bound 
to  find  by  law,  and  which  I  shall  call  on  you  to  utter  be- 
fore the  court,  and  which  belong  to  this  suit.  I  call  upon 
you  by  a  lawful  summons — I  call  on  you  so  that  ye  may 
yourselves  hear — I  call  on  you  in  the  suit  which  Thorgeir 
Thorir's  son  has  handed  over  to  me." 

Then  Mord  said — 

"Now  is  the  suit  set  on  foot  as  ye  asked,  and  now  I  will 
pray  thee,  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  to  come  to  me  when  thou 
ridest  to  the  Thing,  and  then  let  us  both  ride  together, 
each  with  our  band,  and  keep  as  close  as  we  can  together, 
for  my  band  shall  be  ready  by  the  very  beginning  of  the 
Thing,  and  I  will  be  true  to  you  in  all  things." 

They  showed  themselves  well  pleased  at  that,  and  this 
was  fast  bound  by  oaths,  that  no  man  should  sunder  him- 
self from  another  till  Kari  willed  it,  and  that  each  of 
them  should  lay  down  his  life  for  the  other's  life.  Now 
they  parted  with  friendship,  and  settled  to  meet  again  at 
the  Thing. 

Now  Thorgeir  rides  back  east,  but  Kari  rides  west  over 
the  rivers  till  he  came  to  Tongue,  to  Asgrim's  house. 
He  welcomed  them  wonderfully  well,  and  Kari  told  As- 
grim  all  Gizur  the  white's  plan,  and  of  the  setting  on  foot 
of  the  suit. 

"I  looked  for  as  much  from  him,"  says  Asgrim,  "that 
he  would  behave  well,  and  now  he  has  shown  it." 

Then  Asgrim  went  on — 

"What  heardest  thou  from  the  east  of  Flosi  ?" 

"He  went  east  all  the  way  to  Weaponfirth,"  answers 
Kari,  "and  nearly  all  the  chiefs  have  promised  to  ride 

220 


OF  FLOS  I  AND  THE  BURNERS 

with  him  to  the  Althing,  and  to  help  him.  They  look, 
too,  for  help  from  the  Reykdalesmen,  and  the  men  of 
Lightwater,  and  the  Axefirthers." 

Then  they  talked  much  about  it,  and  so  the  time  passes 
away  up  to  the  Althing. 

Thorhall  Asgrim's  son  took  such  a  hurt  in  his  leg  that 
the  foot  above  the  ankle  was  as  big  and  swollen  as  a 
woman's  thigh,  and  he  could  not  walk  save  with  a  staff. 
He  was  a  man  tall  in  growth,  and  strong  and  powerful, 
dark  of  hue  in  hair  and  skin,  measured  and  guarded  in 
his  speech,  and  yet  hot  and  hasty  tempered.  He  was  the 
third  greatest  lawyer  in  all  Iceland. 

Now  the  time  comes  that  men  should  ride  from  home 
to  the  Thing,  Asgrim  said  to  Kari — 

"Thou  shalt  ride  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  Thing, 
and  fit  up  our  booths,  and  my  son  Thorhall  with  thee. 
Thou  wilt  treat  him  best  and  kindest,  as  he  is  footlame, 
but  we  shall  stand  in  the  greatest  need  of  him  at  this 
Thing.  With  you  two,  twenty  men  more  shall  ride." 

After  that  they  made  ready  for  their  journey,  and  then 
they  rode  to  the  Thing,  and  set  up  their  booths,  and 
fitted  them  out  well. 

CHAPTER  LXXXI. 

OF  FLOSI  AND  THE  BURNERS. 

FLOSI  rode  from  the  east  and  those  hundred  and  twenty 
men  who  had  been  at  the  Burning  with  him.  They  rode 
till  they  came  to  Fleetlithe.  Then  the  sons  of  Sigfus 
looked  after  their  homesteads  and  tarried  there  that  day, 
but  at  even  they  rode  west  over  Thursowater,  and  slept 

221 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

there  that  night.  But  next  morning1  early  they  saddled 
their  horses  and  rode  off  on  their  way. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"Now  will  we  ride  to  Tongue  to  Asgrim  to  breakfast, 
and  trample  down  his  pride  a  little." 

They  said  that  were  well  done.  They  rode  till  they  had 
a  short  way  to  Tongue.  Asgrim  stood  out  of  doors,  and 
some  men  with  him.  They  see  the  band  as  soon  as  ever 
they  could  do  so  from  the  house.  Then  Asgrim's  men 
said — 

"There  must  be  Thorgeir  Craggeir." 

"Not  he,"  said  Asgrim.  "I  think  so  all  the  more  be- 
cause these  men  fare  with  laughter  and  wantonness, 
but  such  kinsmen  of  Njal  as  Thorgeir  is  would  not  smile 
before  some  vengeance  is  taken  for  the  Burning,  and  I 
will  make  another  guess,  and  maybe  ye  will  think  that 
unlikely.  My  meaning  is,  that  it  must  be  Flosi  and  the 
Burners  with  him,  and  they  must  mean  to  humble  us  with 
insults,  and  we  will  now  go  indoors  all  of  us." 

Now  they  do  so,  and  Asgrim  made  them  sweep  the 
house  and  put  up  the  hangings,  and  set  the  boards  and 
put  meat  on  them.  He  made  them  place  stools  along 
each  bench  all  down  the  room. 

Flosi  rode  into  the  "town,"  and  bade  men  alight  from 
their  horses  and  go  in.  They  did  so,  and  Flosi  and  his 
men  went  into  the  hall.  Asgrim  sate  on  the  cross-bench 
on  the  dais.  Flosi  looked  at  the  benches  and  saw  that  all 
was  made  ready  that  men  needed  to  have.  Asgrim  gave 
them  no  greeting,  but  said  to  Flosi — 

"The  boards  are  set,  so  that  meat  may  be  free  to  those 
that  need  it." 


OF  FLOSI  AND  THE  BURNERS 

Flosi  sat  down  to  the  board,  and  all  his  men ;  but  they 
laid  their  arms  up  against  the  wainscot.  They  sat  on  the 
stools  who  found  no  room  on  the  benches;  but  four 
men  stood  with  weapons  just  before  where  Flosi  sat  while 
they  ate. 

Asgrim  kept  his  peace  during  the  meat,  but  was  as  red 
to  look  on  as  blood. 

But  when  they  were  full,  some  women  cleared  away 
the  boards,  while  others  brought  in  water  to  wash  their 
hands.  Flosi  was  in  no  greater  hurry  than  if  he  had  been 
at  home.  There  lay  a  pole-axe  in  the  corner  of  the  dais. 
Asgrim  caught  it  up  with  both  hands,  and  ran  up  to  the 
rail  at  the  edge  of  the  dais,  and  made  a  blow  at  Flosi's 
head.  Glum  Hilldir's  son  happened  to  see  what  he  was 
about  to  do,  and  sprang  up  at  once,  and  got  hold  of  the 
axe  above  Asgrim's  hands,  and  turned  the  edge  at  once 
on  Asgrim ;  for  Glum  was  very  strong.  Then  many  more 
men  ran  up  and  seized  Asgrim,  but  Flosi  said  that  no 
man  was  to  do  Asgrim  any  harm,  "for  we  put  him  to  too 
hard  a  trial,  and  he  only  did  what  he  ought,  and  showed 
in  that  that  he  had  a  big  heart." 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Asgrim,  "Here,  now,  we  shall  part 
safe  and  sound,  and  meet  at  the  Thing,  and  there  begin 
our  quarrel  over  again." 

"So  it  will  be,"  says  Asgrim ;  "and  I  would  wish  that, 
ere  this  Thing  be  over,  ye  should  have  to  take  in  some  of 
your  sails." 

Flosi  answered  him  never  a  word,  and  then  they  went 
out,  and  mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  away.  They 
rode  till  they  came  to  Laugarwater,  and  were  there  that 

223 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

night;  but  next  morning  they  rode  on  to  Baitvale,  and 
baited  their  horses  there,  and  there  many  bands  rode  to 
meet  them.  There  was  Hall  of  the  Side,  and  all  the  East- 
firthers.  Flosi  greeted  them  well,  and  told  them  of  his 
journeys  and  dealings  with  Asgrim.  Many  praised  him 
for  that,  and  said  such  things  were  bravely  done. 

Then  Hall  said,  "I  look  on  this  in  another  way  than  ye 
do,  for  methinks  it  was  a  foolish  prank;  they  were  sure 
to  bear  in  mind  their  griefs,  even  though  they  were  not 
reminded  of  them  anew;  but  those  men  who  try  others 
so  heavily  must  look  for  all  evil." 

It  was  seen  from  Hall's  way  that  he  thought  this  deed 
far  too  strong.  They  rode  thence  all  together,  till  they 
came  to  the  Upper  Field,  and  there  they  set  their  men  in 
array,  and  rode  down  on  the  Thing. 

Flosi  had  made  them  fit  out  Byrgir's  booth  ere  he  rode 
to  the  Thing;  but  the  Eastfirthers  rode  to  their  own 
booths. 

CHAPTER  LXXXII. 

OF  EYJOLF  BOL,VERK*S  SON. 

THERE  was  a  man  named  Eyjolf.  He  was  the  son  of 
Bolverk,  the  son  of  Eyjolf  the  guileful,  of  Otterdale. 
Eyjolf  was  a  nian  of  great  rank,  and  best  skilled  in  law 
of  all  men,  so  that  some  said  he  was  the  third  best  lawyer 
in  Iceland.  He  was  the  fairest  in  face  of  all  men,  tall  and 
strong,  and  there  was  the  making  of  a  great  chief  in  him. 
He  was  greedy  of  money,  like  the  rest  of  his  kinsfolk. 

One  day  Flosi  went  to  the  booth  of  Bjarni  Brodd- 
helgi's  son.  Bjarni  took  him  by  both  hands,  and  sat 

224 


OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON 

Flosi  down  by  his  side.  They  talked  about  many  things, 
and  at  last  Flosi  said  to  Bjarni — 

"What  counsel  shall  we  now  take?" 

"I  think,"  answered  Bjarni,  "that  it  is  now  hard  to  say 
what  to  do,  but  the  wisest  thing  seems  to  me  to  go  round 
and  ask  for  help,  since  they  are  drawing  strength  together 
against  you.  I  will  also  ask  thee,  Flosi,  whether  there 
be  any  very  good  lawyer  in  your  band;  for  now  there 
are  but  two  courses  left ;  one  to  ask  if  they  will  take  an 
atonement,  and  that  is  not  a  bad  choice,  but  the  other 
is  to  defend  the  suit  at  law,  if  there  be  any  defence  to  it, 
though  that  will  seem  to  be  a  bold  course;  and  this  is 
why  I  think  this  last  course  ought  to  be  chosen,  because 
ye  have  hitherto  fared  high  and  mightily,  and  it  is  un- 
seemly now  to  take  a  lower  course." 

"As  to  thy  asking  about  lawyers,"  said  Flosi,  "I  will 
answer  thee  at  once  that  there  is  no  such  man  in  our  band ; 
nor  do  I  know  where  to  look  for  one  except  it  be  Thorkel 
Geiti's  son,  thy  kinsman." 

"We  must  not  reckon  on  him,"  said  Bjarni,  "for 
though  he  knows  something  of  law,  he  is  far  too  wary, 
and  no  man  need  hope  to  have  him  as  his  shield ;  but  he 
will  back  thee  as  well  as  any  man  who  backs  thee  best, 
for  he  has  a  stout  heart ;  besides,  I  must  tell  thee  that  it 
will  be  that  man's  bane  who  undertakes  the  defence  in 
this  suit  for  the  Burning,  but  I  have  no  mind  that  this 
should  befall  my  kinsman  Thorkel,  so  ye  must  turn  your 
eyes  elsewhither." 

Flosi  said  he  knew  nothing  about  who  were  the  best 
lawyers. 

225 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"There  is  a  man  named  Eyjolf,"  said  Bjarni ;  "he  is 
Bolverk's  son,  and  he  is  the  best  lawyer  in  the  West- 
firther's  Quarter;  but  you  will  need  to  give  him  much 
money  if  you  are  to  bring  him  into  the  suit,  but  still  we 
must  not  stop  at  that.  We  must  also  go  with  our  arms 
to  all  law  business,  and  be  most  wary  of  ourselves,  but 
not  meddle  with  them  before  we  are  forced  to  fight  for 
our  lives.  And  now  I  will  go  with  thee,  and  set  out  at 
once  on  our  begging  for  help,  for  now  methinks  the 
peace  will  be  kept  but  a  little  wrhile  longer." 

After  that  they  go  out  of  the  booth,  and  to  the  booths 
of  the  Axefirthers.  Then  Bjarni  talks  with  Lyting  and 
Bleing,  and  Hroi  Arnstein's  son,  and  he  got  speedily 
whatever  he  asked  of  them.  Then  they  fared  to  see  Kol, 
the  son  of  Killing-Skuti,  and  Eyvind  Thorkel's  son,  the 
son  of  Askel  the  priest,  and  asked  them  for  their  help; 
but  they  stood  out  for  a  long  while,  but  the  end  of  it 
was  that  they  took  three  marks  of  silver  for  it,  and  so 
went  into  the  suit  with  them. 

Then  they  went  to  the  booths  of  the  men  of  Light- 
water,  and  stayed  there  some  time.  Flosi  begged  the 
men  of  Lightwater  for  help,  but  they  were  stubborn  and 
hard  to  win  over,  and  then  Flosi  said,  with  much  wrath, 
"Ye  are  ill-behaved!  ye  are  grasping  and  wrongful  at 
home  in  your  own  country,  and  ye  will  not  help  men  at 
the  Thing,  though  they  need  it.  No  doubt  you  will  be 
held  up  to  reproach  at  the  Thing,  and  very  great  blame 
will  be  laid  on  you  if  ye  bare  not  in  mind  that  scorn  and 
those  biting  words  which  Skarphedinn  hurled  at  you  men 
of  Lightwater." 

226 


OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON 

But  on  the  other  hand,  Flosi  dealt  secretly  with  them, 
and  offered  them  money  for  their  help,  and  so  coaxed 
them  over  with  fair  words,  until  it  came  about  that  they 
promised  him  their  aid,  and  then  became  so  steadfast  that 
they  said  they  would  fight  for  Flosi,  if  need  were. 

Then  Bjarni  said  to  Flosi — 

"Well  done !  well  done !  Thou  are  a  mighty  chief,  and 
a  bold  out-spoken  man,  and  reckest  little  what  thou  sayest 
to  men." 

After  that  they  fared  away  west  across  the  river,  and 
so  to  the  Hladbooth.  They  saw  many  men  outside  before 
the  booth.  There  was  one  man  who  had  a  scarlet  cloak 
over  his  shoulders,  and  a  gold  band  round  his  head,  and 
an  axe  studded  with  silver  in  his  hand. 

"This  is  just  right,"  said  Bjarni,  "here  now  is  the  man 
I  spoke  of,  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son,  if  thou  wilt  see  him, 
Flosi." 

Then  they  went  to  meet  Eyjolf,  and  hailed  him.  Eyjolf 
knew  Bjarni  at  once,  and  greeted  him  well.  Bjarni  took 
Eyjolf  by  the  hand,  and  led  him  up  into  the  "Great  Rift." 
Flosi's  and  Bjarni's  men  followed  after,  and  Eyjolf's 
men  went  also  with  him.  They  bade  them  stay  upon  the 
lower  brink  of  the  Rift,  and  look  about  them,  but  Flosi, 
and  Bjarni,  and  Eyjolf  went  on  till  they  came  to  where 
the  path  leads  down  from  the  upper  brink  of  the  Rift. 

Flosi  said  it  was  a  good  spot  to  sit  down  there,  for  they 
could  see  around  them  far  and  wide.  Then  they  sat  them 
down  there.  They  were  four  of  them  together,  and  no 
more. 

Then  Bjarni  spoke  to  Eyjolf,  and  said — 

227 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Thee,  friend,  have  we  come  to  see,  for  we  much  need 
thy  help  in  every  way." 

"Now,"  said  Eyjolf,  "there  is  good  choice  of  men  here 
at  the  Thing,  and  ye  will  not  find  it  hard  to  fall  on  those 
who  will  be  a  much  greater  strength  to  you  than  I  can 
be." 

"Not  so,"  said  Bjarni,  "thou  hast  many  things  which 
show  that  there  is  no  greater  man  than  thou  at  the  Thing ; 
first  of  all,  that  thou  art  so  well-born,  as  all  those  men 
are  who  are  sprung  from,  Ragnar  hairybreeks;  thy  fore- 
fathers, too,  have  always  stood  first  in  great  suits,  both 
here  at  the  Thing,  and  at  home  in  their  own  country,  and 
they  have  always  had  the  best  of  it ;  we  think,  therefore, 
it  is  likely  that  thou  wilt  be  lucky  in  winning  suits  like 
thy  kinsfolk." 

"Thou  speakest  well,  Bjarni,"  said  Eyjolf;  "but  I  think 
that  I  have  small  share  in  all  this  that  thou  sayest." 

Then  Flosi  said — 

"There  is  no  need  beating  about  the  bush  as  to  what 
we  have  in  mind.  We  wish  to  ask  for  thy  help,  Eyjolf, 
and  that  thou  wilt  stand  by  us  in  our  suits,  and  go  to  the 
court  with  us,  and  undertake  the  defence,  if  there  be  any, 
and  plead  it  for  us,  and  stand  by  us  in  all  things  that  may 
happen  at  this  Thing." 

Eyjolf  jumped  up  in  wrath,  and  said  that  no  man  had 
any  right  to  think  that  he  could  make  a  catspaw  of  him, 
or  drag  him  on  if  he  had  no  mind  to  go  himself. 

"I  see,  too,  now,"  he  says,  "what  has  led  you  to  utter 
all  those  fair  words  with  which  ye  began  to  speak  to 
me." 

228 


OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON 

Then  Hallbjorn  the  strong  caught  hold  of  him  and  sate 
him  down  by  his  side,  between  him  and  Bjarni,  and  said — 

"No  tree  falls  at  the  first  stroke,  friend,  but  sit  here 
awhile  by  us." 

Then  Flosi  drew  a  gold  ring  off  his  arm. 

"This  ring  will  I  give  thee,  Eyjolf,  for  thy  help  and 
friendship,  and  so  show  thee  that  I  will  not  befool  thee. 
It  will  be  best  for  thee  to  take  the  ring,  for  there  is  no 
man  here  at  the  Thing  to  whom  I  have  ever  given  such 
a  gift." 

The  ring  was  such  a  good  one,  and  so  well  made,  that 
it  was  worth  twelve  hundred  yards  of  russet  stuff. 

Hallbjorn  drew  the. ring  on  Eyjolf's  arm;  and  Eyjolf 
said — 

"It  is  now  most  fitting  that  I  should  take  the  ring,  since 
thou  behavest  so  handsomely ;  and  now  thou  mayest  make 
up  thy  mind  that  I  will  undertake  the  defence,  and  do  all 
things  needful." 

"Now,"  said  Bjarni,  "ye  behave  handsomely  on  both 
sides,  and  here  are  men  well  fitted  to  be  witnesses,  since  I 
and  Hallbjorn  are  here,  that  thou  hast  undertaken  the 
suit." 

Then  Eyjolf  arose,  and  Flosi  too,  and  they  took  one 
another  by  the  hand ;  and  so  Eyjolf  undertook  the  whole 
defence  of  the  suit  off  Flosi's  hands,  and  so,  too,  if  any 
suit  arose  out  of  the  defence,  for  it  often  happens  that 
what  is  a  defence  in  one  suit,  is  a  plaintiff's  plea  in  an- 
other. So  he  took  upon  him  all  the  proofs  and  proceed- 
ings which  belonged  to  those  suits,  whether  they  were  to 
be  pleaded  before  the  Quarter  Court  or  the  Fifth  Court. 

229 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Flosi  handed  them  over  in  lawful  form,  and  Eyjolf  took 
them  in  lawful  form,  and  then  he  said  to  Flosi  and 
Bjarni — 

"Now  I  have  undertaken  this  defence  just  as  ye  asked, 
but  my  wish  it  is  that  ye  should  still  keep  it  secret  at  first ; 
but  if  the  matter  comes  into  the  Fifth  Court,  then  be 
most  careful  not  to  say  that  ye  have  given  goods  for  my 
help." 

Then  Flosi  went  home  to  his  booth,  and  Bjarni  with 
him,  but  Eyjolf  went  to  the  booth  of  Snorri  the  priest, 
and  sate  down  by  him,  and  they  talked  much  together. 

Snorri  the  priest  caught  hold  of  Eyjolf's  arm,  and 
turned  up  the  sleeve,  and  sees  that  he  had  a  great  ring  of 
gold  on  his  arm.  Then  Snorri  the  priest  said — 

"Pray,  was  this  ring  bought  or  given  ?" 

Eyjolf  was  put  out  about  it,  and  had  never  a  word  to 
say.  Then  Snorri  said — 

"I  see  plainly  that  thou  must  have  taken  it  as  a  gift, 
and  may  this  ring  not  be  thy  death !" 

Eyjolf  jumped  up  and  went  away,  and  would  not  speak 
about  it;  and  Snorri  said,  as  Eyjolf  arose — 

"It  is  very  likely  that  thou  wilt  know  what  kind  of 
gift  thou  hast  taken  by  the  time  this  Thing  is  ended." 

Then  Eyjolf  went  to  his  booth. 

CHAPTER  LXXXIII. 

OF  ASGRIM,  AND  GIZUR,  AND  KARI. 

Now  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  talks  to  Gizur  the  white, 
and  Kari  Solmund's  son,  and  to  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son, 
Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  Thorgeir  Craggeir,  and  says — 

230 


OF  ASGRIM,  CIZUR  AND  KAR1 

"There  is  no  need  to  have  any  secrets  here,  for  only 
those  men  are  by  who  know  all  our  counsel.  Now  I  will 
ask  you  if  ye  know  anything  of  their  plans,  for  if  you  do, 
it  seems  to  me  that  we  must  take  fresh  counsel  about  our 
own  plans." 

"Snorri  the  priest,"  answers  Gizur  the  white,  "sent  a 
man  to  me,  and  bade  him  tell  me  that  Flosi  had  gotten 
great  help  from  the  Northlanders ;  but  that  Eyjolf  Bol- 
verk's  son,  his  kinsman,  had  had  a  gold  ring  given  him 
by  some  one,  and  made  a  secret  of  it,  and  Snorri  said  it 
was  his  meaning  that  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  must  be  meant 
to  defend  the  suit  at  law,  and  that  the  ring  must  have 
been  given  him  for  that." 

They  were  all  agreed  that  it  must  be  so.  Then  Gizur 
spoke  to  them — 

"Now  has  Mord  Valgard's  son,  my  son-in-law,  under- 
taken a  suit,  which  all  must  think  most  hard,  to  prosecute 
Flosi ;  and  now  my  wish  is  that  ye  share  the  other  suits 
amongst  you,  for  now  it  will  soon  be  time  to  give  notice 
of  the  suits  at  the  Hill  of  Laws.  We  shall  need  also  to 
ask  for  more  help." 

Asgrim  said  so  it  should  be,  "but  we  will  beg  thee  to 
go  round  with  us  when  we  ask  for  help."  Gizur  said  he 
would  be  ready  to  do  that. 

After  that  Gizur  picked  out  all  the  wisest  men  of  their 
company  to  go  with  him  as  his  backers.  There  was 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  Asgrim,  and  Kari,  and  Thor- 
geir  Craggeir. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said — 

"Now  will  we  first  go  to  the  booth  of  Skapti  Thorod's 

231 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

son,"  and  they  do  so.  Gizur  the  white  went  first,  then 
Hjallti,  then  Kari,  then  Asgrim,  then  Thorgeir  Craggeir, 
and  then  his  brothers. 

They  went  into  the  booth.  Skapti  sat  on  the  cross- 
bench  on  the  dais,  and  when  he  saw  Gizur  the  white  he 
rose  up  to  meet  him,  and  greeted  him  and  all  of  them 
well,  and  bade  Gizur  to  sit  down  by  him,  and  he  does  so. 
Then  Gizur  said  to  Asgrim — 

"Now  shalt  thou  first  raise  the  question  of  help  with 
Skapti,  but  I  will  throw  in  what  I  think  good." 

"We  are  come  hither,"  said  Asgrim,  "for  this  sake, 
Skapti,  to  seek  help  and  aid  at  thy  hand." 

"I  was  thought  to  be  hard  to  win  the  last  time,"  said 
Skapti,  "when  I  would  not  take  the  burden  of  your 
trouble  on  me." 

"It  is  quite  another  matter  now,"  said  Gizur.  "Now 
the  feud  is  for  master  Njal  and  mistress  Bergthora,  who 
were  burnt  in  their  own  house  without  a  cause,  and  for 
Njal's  three  sons,  and  many  other  worthy  men,  and  thou 
wilt  surely  never  be  willing  to  yield  no  help  to  men,  or  to 
stand  by  thy  kinsmen  and  connections." 

"It  was  in  my  mind,"  answers  Skapti,  "when  Skarphe- 
dinn  told  me  that  I  had  myself  borne  tar  on  my  own  head, 
and  cut  up  a  sod  of  turf  and  crept  under  it,  and  when  he 
said  that  I  had  been  so  afraid  that  Thorolf  Lopt's  son  of 
Eyrar  bore  me  abroad  in  his  ship  among  his  meal-sacks, 
and  so  carried  me  to  Iceland,  that  I  would  never  share  in 
the  blood  feud  for  his  death." 

"Now  there  is  no  need  to  bear  such  things  in  mind," 
said  Gizur  the  white,  "for  he  is  dead  who  said  that,  and 

232 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

son,"  and  the  went  first,  then 

Hjallti,  then  >rgeir  Crag-geir, 

and  the' 

:   on  the  cross- 

he  white  he 

all  of  them 

he  does  so. 

j.rim  — 

<t  raise  the  quo  help  with 

ti,  but  1  will  throw  in  what  I  think  aoott" 

BLOODrBADETv-fBLOOD   REVEL. 

We  ate  come  hither,     said  Asgrn;  sake, 

Skapti,  to  seek 


so  honorae  an 
that  feuds  were  common  and  tragedies 


"S^S^^^111  a  frieze  decoration 

arace,  near  Uopenhagen. 
"It  -  ."  answers  Skapti,  "when  Skarphe- 

dinn  told  me  that  I  had  myself  borne  tar  on  my  own  head, 
and  cut  up  a  sod  of  turf  and  crept  under  it,  and  when  he 
said  that  oen  so  afraid  that.Thorolf  Lopt's  son  of 

Eyrar  bore  me  abroad  in  his  ship  among  his  meal-sacks, 
and  so  carried  me  to  Iceland,  that  I  would  never  share  in   ' 
the  blood  feud  for  his  death." 

"Now  there  is  no  need  to  bear  such  things  in  mind," 
said  Gizur  the  white,  "for  he  is  dead  who  said  that,  and 

232 


OF  ASGRIM,  GIZUR  AND  KARI 

thou  wilt  surely  grant  me  this,  though  thou  wouldst  not 
do  it  for  other  men's  sake." 

"This  quarrel,"  says  Skapti,  "is  no  business  of  thine, 
except  thou  choosest  to  be  entangled  in  it  along  with 
them." 

Then  Gizur  was  very  wroth,  and  said — 

"Thou  art  unlike  thy  father,  though  he  was  thought  not 
to  be  quite  clean-handed ;  yet  was  he  ever  helpful  to  men 
when  they  needed  him  most." 

"We  are  unlike  in  temper,"  said  Skapti.  "Ye  two, 
Asgrim  and  thou,  think  that  ye  have  had  the  lead  in 
mighty  deeds;  thou,  Gizur  the  white,  because  thou  over- 
earnest  Gunnar  of  Lithend ;  but  Asgrim,  for  that  he  slew 
Gauk,  his  foster-brother." 

"Few,"  said  Asgrim,  "bring  forward  the  better  if  they 
know  the  worse,  but  many  would  say  that  I  slew  not 
Gauk  ere  I  was  driven  to  it.  There  is  some  excuse  for 
thee  for  not  helping  us,  but  none  for  heaping  reproaches 
on  us ;  and  I  only  wish  before  this  Thing  is  out  that  thou 
mayest  get  from  this  suit  the  greatest  disgrace,  and  that 
there  may  be  none  to  make  thy  shame  good." 

Then  Gizur  and  his  men  stood  up  all  of  them,  and  went 
out,  and  so  on  to  the  booth  of  Snorri  the  priest. 

Snorri  sat  on  the  cross-bench  in  his  booth ;  they  went 
into  the  booth,  and  he  knew  the  men  at  once,  and  stood 
up  to  meet  them,  and  bade  them  all  welcome,  and  made 
room  for  them  to  sit  by  him. 

After  that,  they  asked  one  another  the  news  of  the  day. 

Then  Asgrim  spoke  to  Snorri,  and  said — 

"For  that  am  I  and  my  kinsman  Gizur  come  hither,  to 

ask  thee  for  thy  help." 
18 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Thou  speakest  of  what  thou  mayest  always  be  for- 
given for  asking,  for  help  in  the  blood-feud  after  such 
connections  as  thou  hadst.  We,  too,  got  many  whole- 
some counsels  from  Njal,  though  few  now  bear  that  in 
mind;  but  as  yet  I  know  not  of  what  ye  think  ye  stand 
most  in  need." 

"We  stand  most  in  need,"  answers  Asgrim,  "of  brisk 
lads  and  good  weapons,  if  we  fight  them,  here  at  the 
Thing." 

"True  it  is,"  said  Snorri,  "that  much  lies  on  that,  and 
it  is  likeliest  that  ye  will  press  them  home  with  daring, 
and  that  they  will  defend  themselves  so  in  likewise,  and 
neither  of  you  will  allow  the  other's  right.  Then  ye  will 
not  bear  with  them  and  fall  on  them,  and  that  will  be 
the  only  way  left ;  for  then  they  will  seek  to  pay  you  off 
with  shame  for  manscathe,  and  with  dishonour  for  loss  of 
kin." 

It  was  easy  to  see  that  he  goaded  them  on  in  everything. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said — 

"Thou  speakest  well,  Snorri,  and  thou  behavest  ever 
most  like  a  chief  when  most  lies  at  stake." 

"I  wish  to  know,"  said  Asgrim,  "in  what  way  thou 
wilt  stand  by  us  if  things  turn  out  as  thou  sayest." 

"I  will  show  thee  those  marks  of  friendship,"  said 
Snorri,  "on  which  all  your  honour  will  hang,  but  I  will 
not  go  with  you  to  the  court.  But  if  ye  fight  here  on  the 
Thing,  do  not  fall  on  them  at  all  unless  ye  are  all  most 
steadfast  and  dauntless,  for  you  have  great  champions 
against  you.  But  if  ye  are  overmatched,  ye  must  let  your- 
selves be  driven  hither  towards  us,  for  I  shall  then  have 

234 


OF  ASGRIM  AND  GUDMUND 

drawn  up  my  men  in  array  hereabouts,  and  shall  be 
ready  to  stand  by  you.  But  if  it  falls  out  otherwise,  and 
they  give  way  before  you,  my  meaning  is  that  they  will 
try  to  run  for  a  stronghold  in  the  'Great  Rift.'  But  if 
they  come  thither,  then  ye  will  never  get  the  better  of 
them.  Now  I  will  take  that  on  my  hands,  to  draw  up 
my  men  there,  and  guard  the  pass  to  the  stronghold,  but 
we  will  not  follow  them  whether  they  turn  north  or  south 
along  the  river.  And  when  you  have  slain  out  of  their 
band  about  as  many  as  I  think  ye  will  be  able  to  pay 
blood-fines  for,  and  yet  keep  your  priesthoods  and  abodes, 
then  I  will  run  up  with  all  my  men  and  part  you.  Then 
ye  shall  promise  to  do  as  I  bid  you,  and  stop  the  battle,  if 
I  on  my  part  do  what  I  have  now  promised." 

Gizur  thanked  him  kindly,  and  said  that  what  he  had 
said  was  just  what  they  all  needed,  and  then  they  all 
went  out. 

"Whither  shall  we  go  now?"  said  Gizur. 

"To  the  Northlanders'  booth,"  said  Asgrim. 

Then  they  fared  thither. 

CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 

OF  ASGRIM  AND  GUDMUND. 

AND  when  they  came  into  the  booth  then  they  saw 
where  Gudmund  the  powerful  sate  and  talked  with  Einer 
Conal's  son,  his  foster-child ;  he  was  a  wise  man. 

Then  they  come  before  him,  and  Gudmund  welcomed 
them  very  heartily,  and  made  them  clear  the  booth  for 
them,  that  they  might  all  be  able  to  sit  down. 

Then  they  asked  what  tidings,  and  Asgrim  said — 

235 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"There  is  no  need  to  mutter  what  I  have  to  say.  We 
wish,  Gudmund,  to  ask  for  thy  steadfast  help." 

"Have  ye  seen  any  other  chiefs  before?"  said  Gudmund. 

They  said  they  had  been  to  see  Skapti  Thorod's  son 
and  Snorri  the  priest,  and  told  him  quietly  how  they  had 
fared  with  each  of  them. 

Then  Gudmund  said — 

"Last  time  I  behaved  badly  and  meanly  to  you.  Then 
I  was  stubborn,  but  now  ye  shall  drive  your  bargain  with 
me  all  the  more  quickly  because  I  was  more  stubborn  then 
and  now  I  will  go  myself  with  you  to  the  court  with  all 
my  Thingmen,  and  stand  by  you  in  all  such  things  as  I 
can  and  fight  for  you  though  this  be  needed,  and  lay  down 
my  life  for  your  lives.  I  will  also  pay  Skapti  out  in  this 
way,  that  Thorstein  gapemouth  his  son  shall  be  in  the 
battle  on  our  side,  for  he  will  not  dare  to  do  aught  else 
than  I  will,  since  he  has  Jodisa  my  daughter  to  wife,  and 
then  Skapti  will  try  to  part  us." 

They  thanked  him,  and  talked  with  him  long  and  low 
afterwards,  so  that  no  other  man  could  hear. 

Then  Gudmund  bade  them  not  to  go  before  the  knees 
of  any  other  chief,  for  he  said  that  would  be  little-hearted. 

"We  will  now  run  the  risk  with  the  force  that  we 
have.  Ye  must  go  with  your  weapons  to  all  law-business, 
but  not  fight  as  things  stand." 

Then  they  went  all  of  them  home  to  their  booths,  and 
all  this  was  at  first  with  few  men's  knowledge. 

So  now  the  Thing  goes  on. 


236 


THE  DECLARATIONS  OF  THE  SUITS 
CHAPTER  LXXXV. 

OF  THE  DECLARATIONS  OF  THE  SUITS. 

IT  was  one  day  that  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and 
the  chiefs  were  so  placed  that  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son, 
and  Gizur  the  white,  and  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and 
Snorri  the  priest,  were  on  the  upper  hand  by  the  Hill  of 
Laws ;  but  the  Eastfirthers  stood  down  below. 

Mord  Valgard's  son  stood  next  to  Gizur  his  father-in- 
law;  he  was  of  all  men  the  readiest-tongued. 

Gizur  told  him  that  he  ought  to  give  notice  of  the  suit 
for  manslaughter,  and  bade  him  speak  up,  so  that  all 
might  hear  him  well. 

Then  Mord  took  witness  and  said — "I  take  witness  to 
this  that  I  give  notice  of  an  assault  laid  down  by  law 
against  Flosi  Thord's  son,  for  that  he  rushed  at  Helgi 
Njal's  son  and  dealt  him  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow 
wound,  which  proved  a  death-wound,  and  from  which 
Helgi  got  his  death.  I  say  that  in  this  suit  he  ought  to 
be  made  a  guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to  be 
forwarded,  not  to  be  helped  or  harboured  in  any  need. 
I  say  that  all  his  goods  are  forfeited,  half  to  me,  and  half 
to  the  men  of  the  Quarter,  who  have  a  right  by  law  to  take 
his  forfeited  goods.  I  give  notice  of  this  suit  for  man- 
slaughter in  the  Quarter  Court  into  which  this  suit  ought 
by  law  to  come.  I  give  notice  of  this  lawful  notice;  I 
give  notice  in  the  hearing  of  all  men  on  the  Hill  of  Laws ; 
I  give  notice  of  this  suit  to  be  pleaded  this  summer,  and 
of  full  outlawry  against  Flosi  Thord's  son ;  I  give  notice 
of  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  has  handed  over 
to  me." 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  a  great  shout  was  uttered  at  the  Hill  of  Laws, 
that  Mord  spoke  well  and  boldly. 

Then  Mord  began  to  speak  a  second  time. 

"I  take  you  to  witness  to  this,"  says  he,  "that  I  give 
notice  of  a  suit  against  Flosi  Thord's  son.  I  give  notice 
for  that  he  wounded  Helgi  Njal's  son  with  a  brain,  or  a 
body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which  proved  a  death-wound, 
and  from  which  Helgi  got  his  death  on  that  spot  where 
Flosi  Thord's  son  had  first  rushed  on  Helgi  Njal's  son 
with  an  assault  laid  down  by  law.  I  say  that  thou,  Flosi, 
ought  to  be  made  in  this  suit  a  guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not 
to  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded,  not  to  be  helped,  or  har- 
boured in  any  need.  I  say  that  all  thy  goods  are  forfeited, 
half  to  me  and  half  to  the  men  of  the  Quarter,  who  have  a 
right  by  law  to  take  the  goods  which  have  been  forfeited 
by  thee.  I  give  notice  of  this  suit  in  the  Quarter  Court 
into  which  it  ought  by  law  to  come;  I  give  notice  of  this 
lawful  notice ;  I  give  notice  of  it  in  the  hearing  of  all  men 
on  the  Hill  of  Laws;  I  give  notice  of  this  suit  to  be 
pleaded  this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry  against  Flosi 
Thord's  son.  I  give  notice  of  the  suit  which  Thorgeir 
Thorir's  son  hath  handed  over  to  me." 

After  that  Mord  sat  him  down. 

Flosi  listened  carefully,  but  said  never  a  word  the 
while. 

Then  Thorgeir  Craggeir  stood  up  and  took  witness, 
and  said — "I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  give  notice  of  a 
suit  against  Glum  Hilldir's  son,  in  that  he  took  firing  and 
lit  it,  and  bore  it  to  the  house  at  Bergthorsknoll,  when 
they  were  burned  inside  it,  to  wit,  Njal  Thorgeir's  son, 

238 


THE  DECLARATIONS  OF  THE  SUITS 

and  Bergthora  Skarphedinn's  daughter,  and  all  those  other 
men  who  were  burned  inside  it  there  and  then.  I  say  that 
in  this  suit  he  ought  to  be  made  a  guilty  man,  etc.  I  give 
notice  of  this  suit  to  be  pleaded  this  summer,  and  of  full 
outlawry  against  Glum  Hilldir's  son." 

Kari  Solmund's  son  declared  his  suits  against  Kol 
Thorstein's  son,  and  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Grani  Gun- 
nar's  son,  and  it  was  the  common  talk  of  men  that  he 
spoke  wondrous  well. 

Thorleif  crow  declared  his  suit  against  all  the  sons  of 
Sigfus,  but  Thorgrim  the  big,  his  brother,  against  Modolf 
Kettle's  son,  and  Lambi  Sigurd's  son,  and  Hroar  Ha- 
mond's  son,  brother  of  Leidolf  the  strong. 

Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  declared  his  suit  against  Leid- 
olf  and  Thorstein  Geirleif's  son,  Arni  Kol's  son,  and 
Grim  the  red. 

And  they  all  spoke  well. 

After  that  other  men  gave  notice  of  their  suits,  and  it 
was  far  on  in  the  day  that  it  went  on  so. 

Then  men  fared  home  to  their  booths. 

Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  went  to  his  booth  with  Flosi; 
they  passed  east  around  the  booth,  and  Flosi  said  to  Ey- 
jolf— 

"See'st  thou  any  defence  in  these  suits?" 

"None,"  says  Eyjolf. 

"What  counsel  is  now  to  be  taken?"  says  Flosi. 

"I  will  give  thee  a  piece  of  advice,"  said  Eyjolf.  "Now 
thou  shalt  hand  over  thy  priesthood  to  thy  brother  Thor- 
geir,  but  declare  that  thou  hast  joined  the  Thing  of  Askel 
the  priest  the  son  of  Thorkettle,  north  away  in  Reykiar- 

239 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

dale ;  but  if  they  do  not  know  this,  then  may  be  that  this 
will  harm  them,  for  they  will  be  sure  to  plead  their  suit  in 
the  Eastfirther's  court,  but  they  ought  to  plead  it  in  the 
Northlander's  court,  and  they  will  overlook  that,  and  it  is 
a  Fifth  Court  matter  against  them  if  they  plead  their  suit 
in  another  court  than  that  in  which  they  ought,  and  then 
we  will  take  that  suit  up,  but  not  until  we  have  no  other 
choice  left." 

"May  be,"  said  Flosi,  "that  we  shall  get  the  worth  of 
the  ring." 

"I  don't  know  that,"  says  Eyjolf ;  "but  I  will  stand  by 
thee  at  law,  so  that  men  shall  say  that  there  never  was  a 
better  defence.  Now,  we  must  send  for  Askel,  but  Thor- 
geir  shall  come  to  thee  at  once,  and  a  man  with  him." 

A  little  while  after  Thorgeir  came,  and  then  he  took 
on  him  Flosi's  leadership  and  priesthood. 

By  that  time  Askel  was  come  thither  too,  and  then  Flosi 
declared  that  he  had  joined  his  Thing,  and  this  was  with 
no  man's  knowledge  save  theirs. 

Now  all  is  quiet  till  the  day  when  the  courts  were  to 
go  out  to  try  suits. 

CHAPTER  LXXXVI. 

NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS. 

Now  the  time  passes  away  till  the  courts  were  to  go  out 
to  try  suits.  Both  sides  then  made  them  ready  to  go 
thither,  and  armed  them.  Each  side  put  war-tokens  on 
their  helmets. 

Then  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son  said — 

"Walk  hastily  in  nothing,  father  mine,  and  do  every- 

240 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS 

thing  as  lawfully  and  rightly  as  ye  can,  but  if  ye  fall  into 
any  strait  let  me  know  as  <quickly  as  ye  can,  and  then  I 
will  give  you  counsel." 

Asgrim  and  the  others  looked  at  him,  and  his  face  was 
as  though  it  were  all  blood,  but  great  teardrops  gushed 
out  of  his  eyes.  He  bade  them  bring  him  his  spear,  that 
had  been  a  gift  to  him  from  Skarphedinn,  and  it  was  the 
greatest  treasure. 

Asgrim  said  as  they  went  away — 

"Our  kinsman  Thorhall  was  not  easy  in  his  mind  as  we 
left  him  behind  in  the  booth,  and  I  know  not  what  he  will 
be  at." 

Then  Asgrim  said  again — 

"Now  we  will  go  to  Mord  Valgard's  son,  and  think  of 
naught  else  but  the  suit,  for  there  is  more  sport  in  Flosi 
than  in  very  many  other  men." 

Then  Asgrim  sent  a  man  to  Gizur  the  white,  and 
Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  Gudmund  the  powerful.  Now 
they  all  came  together,  and  went  straight  to  the  court  of 
Eastfirthers.  They  went  to  the  court  from  the  south,  but 
Flosi  and  all  the  Eastfirthers  with  him  went  to  it  from  the 
north.  There  were  also  the  men  of  Reykdale  and  the 
Axefirthers  with  Flosi.  There,  too,  was  Eyjolf  Bolverk's 
son.  Flosi  looked  at  Eyjolf,  and  said — 

"All  now  goes  fairly,  and  may  be  that  it  will  not  be 
far  off  from  thy  guess." 

"Keep  thy  peace  about  it,"  says  Eyjolf,  "and  then  we 
shall  be  sure  to  gain  our  point." 

Now  Mord  took  witness,  and  bade  all  those  men  who 
had  suits  of  outlawry  before  the  court  to  cast  lots  who 

241 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

should  first  plead  or  declare  his  suit,  and  who  next,  and 
who  last;  he  bade  them  by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the 
court,  so  that  the  judges  heard  it.  Then  lots  were  cast  as 
to  the  declarations,  and  he,  Mord,  drew  the  lot  to  declare 
his  suit  first. 

Now  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness  the  second  time, 
and  said — 

"I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  except  all  mistakes  in 
words  in  my  pleading,  whether  they  be  too  many  or 
wrongly  spoken,  and  I  claim  the  right  to  amend  all  my 
words  until  I  have  put  them  into  proper  lawful  shape.  I 
take  witness  to  myself  of  this." 

Again  Mord  said — 

"I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  bid  Flosi  Thord's  son,  or 
any  other  man  who  has  undertaken  the  defence  made 
over  to  him  by  Flosi,  to  listen  for  him  to  my  oath,  and  to 
my  declaration  of  my  suit,  and  to  all  the  proofs  and  pro- 
ceedings which  I  am  about  to  bring  forward  against  him ; 
I  bid  him  by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the  court,  so  that 
the  judges  may  hear  it  across  the  court." 

Again  Mord  Valgard's  son  said — 

"I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  take  an  oath  on  the  book, 
a  lawful  oath,  and  I  say  it  before  God,  that  I  will  so  plead 
this  suit  in  the  most  truthful,  and  most  just,  and  most 
lawful  way,  so  far  as  I  know ;  and  that  I  will  bring  for- 
ward all  my  proofs  in  due  form,  and  utter  them  faith- 
fully so  long  as  I  am  in  this  suit." 

After  that  he  spoke  in  these  words — 

"I  have  called  Thorodd  as  my  first  witness,  and  Thor- 
bjorn  as  my  second ;  I  have  called  them  to  bear  witness 

242 


that  I  gave  notice  of  an  assault  laid  down  by  law  against 
Flosi  Thord's  son,  on  that  spot  where  he,  Flosi  Thord's 
son,  rushed  with  an  assault  laid  down  by  law  on  Helgi 
Njal's  son,  when  Flosi  Thord's  son,  wounded  Helgi  Njal's 
son  with  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which 
proved  a  death-wound,  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his 
death.  I  said  that  he  ought  to  be  made  in  this  suit  a 
guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to  be  forwarded, 
not  to  be  helped  or  harboured  in  any  need ;  I  said  that  all 
his  goods  were  forfeited,  half  to  me  and  half  to  the  men 
of  the  Quarter  who  have  the  right  by  law  to  take  the 
goods  which  he  has  forfeited;  I  gave  notice  of  the  suit 
in  the  Quarter  Court  into  which  the  suit  ought  by  law 
to  come ;  I  gave  notice  of  that  lawful  notice ;  I  gave  notice 
in  the  hearing  of  all  men  at  the  Hill  of  Laws ;  I  gave  no- 
tice of  this  suit  to  be  pleaded  now  this  summer,  and  of  full 
outlawry  against  Flosi  Thord's  son.  I  gave  notice  of  a 
suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  had  handed  over  to  me; 
and  I  had  all  these  words  in  my  notice  which  I  have  now 
used  in  this  declaration  of  my  suit.  I  now  declare  this 
suit  of  outlawry  in  this  shape  before  the  court  of  the  East- 
firthers  over  the  head  of  John,  as  I  uttered  it  when  I 
gave  notice  of  it." 

Then  Mord  spoke  again — 

"I  have  called  Thorodd  as  my  first  witness,  and  Thor- 
bjorn  as  my  second,"  repeating  the  formula  of  notice. 

Then  Mord's  witnesses  to  the  notice  came  before  the 
court,  and  spake  so  that  one  uttered  their  witness,  but 
both  confirmed  it  by  their  common  consent  in  this  form, 
"I  bear  witness  that  Mord  called  Thorodd  as  his  first  wit- 

243 


t       THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

ness,  and  me  as  his  second,  and  my  name  is  Thorbjorn" 
— then  he  named  his  father's  name — "Mord  called  us  two 
as  his  witnesses  that  he  gave  notice  of  an  assault  laid 
down  by  law  against  Flosi  Thord's  son  when  he  rushed 
on  Helgi  Njal's  son,  in  that  spot  where  Flosi  Thord's 
son  dealt  Helgi  Njal's  son  a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  mar- 
row wound,  that  proved  a  death-wound,  and  from  which 
Helgi  got  his  death.  He  said  that  Flosi  ought  to  be  made 
in  this  suit  a  guilty  man,  an  outlaw,  not  to  be  fed,  not  to 
be  forwarded,  not  to  be  helped  or  harboured  by  any  man ; 
he  said  that  all  his  goods  were  forfeited,  half  to  himself 
and  half  to  the  men  of  the  Quarter  who  have  the  right 
by  law  to  take  the  goods  which  he  had  forfeited ;  he  gave 
notice  of  the  suit  in  the  Quarter  Court  into  which  the  suit 
ought  by  law  to  come;  he  gave  notice  of  that  lawful  no- 
tice; he  gave  notice  in  the  hearing  of  all  men  at  the  Hill 
of  Laws;  he  gave  notice  of  this  suit  to  be  pleaded  now 
this  summer,  and  of  full  outlawry  against  Flosi  Thorir's 
son.  He  gave  notice  of  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's 
son  had  handed  over  to  him.  He  used  all  those  words 
in  his  notice  which  he  used  in  the  declaration  of  his  suit, 
and  which  we  have  used  in  bearing  witness;  we  have  now 
borne  our  witness  rightly  and  lawfully,  and  we  are  agreed 
in  bearing  it ;  we  bear  this  witness  in  this  shape  before  the 
Eastfirther's  Court  over  the  head  of  John,1  as  Mord  ut- 
tered it  when  he  gave  his  notice." 

A  second  time  they  bore  their  witness  of  the  notice  be- 
fore the  court,  and  put  the  wounds  first  and  the  assault 


1John  for  a  man,  and  Gudruna  for  a  woman,  were  standing  names  in  the 
Formularies  of  the  Icelandic  code,  answering  to  the  "M  or  N"  in  our  Liturgy, 
or  to  those  famous  fictions  of  English  Law,  "John  Ooe  and  Richard  Roe." 

244 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS 

last,  and  used  all  the  same  words  as  before,  and  bore  their 
witness  in  this  shape  before  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  just 
as  Mord  uttered  them  when  he  gave  his  notice. 

Then  Mord's  witnesses  to  the  handing  over  of  the  suit 
went  before  the  court,  and  one  uttered  their  witness,  and 
both  confirmed  it  by  common  consent,  and  spoke  in  these 
words — "That  those  two,  Mord  Valgard's  son  and  Thor- 
geir  Thorir's  son,  took  them  to  witness  that  Thorgeir 
Thorir's  son  handed  over  a  suit  for  manslaughter  to  Mord 
Valgard's  son  against  Flosi  Thord's  son  for  the  slaying 
of  Helgi  Njal's  son ;  he  handed  over  to  him  then  the  suit, 
with  all  the  proofs  and  proceedings  which  belonged  to  the 
suit,  he  handed  it  over  to  him  to  plead  and  to  settle,  and 
to  make  use  of  all  rights  as  though  he  were  the  rightful 
next  of  kin ;  Thorgeir  handed  it  over  lawfully,  and  Mord 
took  it  lawfully." 

They  bore  this  witness  of  the  handing  over  of  the  suit 
in  this  shape  before  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  over  the  head 
of  John,  just  as  Mord  or  Thorgeir  had  called  them  as  wit- 
nesses to  prove. 

They  made  all  these  witnesses  swear  an  oath  ere  they 
bore  witness,  and  the  judges  too. 

Again  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness  to  this,"  said  hv.,  "that  I  bid  those  nine 
neighbours  whom  I  summoned  when  I  laid  this  suit 
against  Flosi  Thord's  son,  to  take  their  seats  west  on  the 
river-bank,  and  I  call  on  the  defendant  to  challenge  this 
inquest,  I  call  on  him  by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the  court 
so  that  the  judges  may  hear." 

Again  Mord  took  witness. 

245 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  bid  Flosi  Thord's  son,  or 
that  other  man  who  has  the  defence  handed  over  to  him, 
to  challenge  the  inquest  which  I  have  caused  to  take  their 
seats  west  on  the  river-bank.  I  bid  thee  by  a  lawful  bid- 
ding before  the  court  so  that  the  judges  may  hear." 

Again  Mord  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness  to  this,  that  now  are  all  the  first  steps 
and  proofs  brought  forward  which  belong  to  the  suit. 
Summons  to  hear  my  oath,  oath  taken,  suit  declared,  wit- 
ness borne  to  the  notice,  witness  borne  to  the  handing  over 
of  the  suit,  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  bidden  to  take 
their  seats,  and  the  defendant  bidden  to  challenge  the  in- 
quest. I  take  this  witness  to  these  steps  and  proofs  which 
are  now  brought  forward,  and  also*  to  this  that  I  shall 
not  be  thought  to  have  left  the  suit  though  I  go  away 
from  the  court  to  look  up  proofs,  or  on  other  business." 

Now  Flosi  and  his  men  went  thither  where  the  neigh- 
bours on  the  inquest  sate. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  his  men — 

"The  sons  of  Sigfus  must  know  best  whether  these  are 
the  rightful  neighbours  to  the  spot  who  are  here  sum- 
moned." 

Kettle  of  the  Mark  answered — 

"Here  is  that  neighbour  who  held  Mord  at  the  font 
when  he  was  baptised,  but  another  is  his  second  cousin 
by  kinship." 

Then  they  reckoned  up  his  kinship,  and  proved  it  with 
an  oath. 

Then  Eyjolf  took  witness  that  the  inquest  should  do 
nothing  till  it  was  challenged. 

246 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS 

A  second  time  Eyjolf  took  witness — 

"I  take  witness  to  this,"  said  he,  "that  I  challenge  both 
these  men  out  of  the  inquest,  and  set  them  aside" — here 
he  named  them  by  name,  and  their  fathers  as  well — "for 
this  sake,  that  one  of  them  is  Mord's  second  cousin  by 
kinship,  but  the  other  for  gossipry,1  for  which  sake  it  is 
lawful  to  challenge  a  neighbour  on  the  inquest;  ye  two 
are  for  a  lawful  reason  incapable  of  uttering  a  finding, 
for  now  a  lawrful  challenge  has  overtaken  you,  therefore 
I  challenge  and  set  you  aside  by  the  rightful  custom  of 
pleading  at  the  Althing,  and  by  the  law  of  the  land;  I 
challenge  you  in  the  cause  which  Flosi  Thord's  son  has 
handed  over  to  me." 

Now  all  the  people  spoke  out,  and  said  that  Mord's  suit 
had  come  to  naught,  and  all  were  agreed  in  this  that  the 
defence  was  better  than  the  prosecution. 

Then  Asgrim,  said  to  Mord — 

"The  day  is  not  yet  their  own,  though  they  think  now 
that  they  have  gained  a  great  step;  but  now  some  one 
shall  go  to  see  Thorhall  my  son,  and  know  what  advice 
he  gives  us." 

Then  a  trusty  messenger  was  sent  to  Thorhall,  and  told 
him  as  plainly  as  he  could  how  far  the  suit  had  gone,  and 
how  Flosi  and  his  men  thought  they  had  brought  the 
finding  of  the  inquest  to  a  dead  lock. 

"I  will  so  make  it  out,"  says  Thorhall,  "that  this  shall 
not  cause  you  to  lose  the  suit ;  and  tell  them  not  to  believe 
it,  though  quirks  and  quibbles  be  brought  against  them, 
for  that  wiseacre  Eyjolf  has  now  overlooked  something. 

Delations  by  baptism. 

247 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

But  now  thou  shalt  go  back  as  quickly  as  thou  canst,  and 
say  that  Mord  Valgard's  son  must  go  before  the  court, 
and  take  witness  that  their  challenge  has  come  to  naught," 
and  then  he  told  him  step  by  step  how  they  must  proceed. 

The  messenger  came  and  told  them  Thorhall's  advice. 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  went  to  the  court  and  took 
witness.  "I  take  witness  to  this,"  said  he,  "that  I  make 
Eyjolf 's  challenge  void  and  of  none  effect ;  and  my  ground 
is,  that  he  challenged  them  not  for  their  kinship  to  the 
true  plaintiff,  the  next  of  kin,  but  for  their  kinship  to 
him  who  pleaded  the  suit ;  I  take  this  witness  to  myself, 
and  to  all  those  to  whom  this  witness  will  be  of  use." 

After  that  he  brought  that  witness  before  the  court. 

Now  he  went  whither  the  neighbours  sate  on  the  in- 
quest, and  bade  those  to  sit  down  again  who  had  risen 
up,  and  said  they  were  rightly  called  on  to  share  in  the 
finding  of  the  inquest. 

Then  all  said  that  Thorhall  had  done  great  things,  and 
all  thought  the  prosecution  better  than  the  defence. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Eyjolf — "Thinkest  thou  that  this  is 
good  law?" 

"I  think  so,  surely,"  he  says,  "and  beyond  a  doubt  we 
overlooked  this;  but  still  we  will  have  another  trial  of 
strength  with  them." 

Then  Eyjolf  took  witness.  "I  take  witness  to  this," 
said  he,  "that  I  challenge  these  two  men  out  of  the  in- 
quest"— here  he  named  them  both — "for  that  sake  that 
they  are  lodgers,  but  not  householders ;  I  do  not  allow  you 
two  to  sit  on  the  inquest,  for  now  a  lawful  challenge  has 
overtaken  you;  I  challenge  you  both  and  set  you  aside 

248 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS 

out  of  the  inquest,  by  the  rightful  custom  of  the  Althing 
and  by  the  law  of  the  land." 

Now  Eyjolf  said  he  was  much  mistaken  if  that  could 
be  shaken;  and  then  all  said  that  the  defence  was  better 
than  the  prosecution. 

Now  all  men  praised  Eyjolf,  and  said  there  was  never 
a  man  who  could  cope  with  him  in  lawcraft. 

Mord  Valgard's  son  and  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  now 
sent  a  man  to  Thorhall  to  tell  him  how  things  stood ;  but 
when  Thorhall  heard  that,  he  asked  what  goods  they 
owned,  or  if  they  were  paupers? 

The  messenger  said  that  one  gained  his  livelihood  by 
keeping  milch-kine,  and  "he  has  both  cows  and  ewes  at  his 
abode ;  but  the  other  has  a  third  of  the  land  which  he  and 
the  freeholder  farm,  and  finds  his  own  food;  and  they 
have  one  hearth  between  them,  he  and  the  man  who  lets 
the  land,  and  one  shepherd." 

Then  Thorhall  said— 

"They  will  fare  now  as  before,  for  they  must  have  made 
a  mistake,  and  I  will  soon  upset  their  challenge,  and  this 
though  Eyjolf  had  used  such  big  words  that  it  was  law." 

Now  Thorhall  told  the  messenger  plainly,  step  by  step, 
how  they  must  proceed;  and  the  messenger  came  back 
and  told  Mord  and  Asgrim  all  the  counsel  that  Thorhall 
had  given. 

Then  Mord  went  to  the  court  and  took  witness.  "I  take 
witness  to  this,  that  I  bring  to  naught  Eyjolf  Bolverk's 
son's  challenge,  for  that  he  has  challenged  those  men  out 
of  the  inquest  who  have  a  lawful  right  to  be  there;  every 
man  has  a  right  to  sit  on  an  inquest  of  neighbours,  who 

249 

19 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

owns  three  hundreds  in  land  or  more,  though  he  may 
have  no  dairy-stock;  and  he  too  has  the  same  right  who 
lives  by  dairy-stock  worth  the  same  sum,  though  he  leases 
no  land." 

Then  he  brought  this  witness  before  the  court,  and 
then  he  went  whither  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  were, 
and  bade  them  sit  down,  and  said  they  were  rightfully 
among  the  inquest. 

Then  there  was  a  great  shout  and  cry,  and  then  all  men 
said  that  Flosi's  and  Eyjolf 's  cause  was  much  shaken,  and 
now  men  were  of  one  mind  as  to  this,  that  the  prosecution 
was  better  than  the  defence. 

Then  Flosi  said  to  Eyjolf — 

"Can  this  be  law?" 

Eyjolf  said  he  had  not  wisdom  enough  to  know  that  for 
a  surety,  and  then  they  sent  a  man  to  Skapti,  the  Speaker 
of  the  Law,  to  ask  whether  it  were  good  law,  and  he  sent 
them  back  word  that  it  was  surely  good  law,  though  few 
knew  it. 

Then  this  was  told  to  Flosi,  and  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son 
asked  the  sons  of  Sigfus  as  to  the  other  neighbours  who 
were  summoned  thither. 

They  said  there  were  four  of  them  who  were  wrongly 
summoned ;  "for  those  sit  now  at  home  who  were  nearer 
neighbours  to  the  spot." 

Then  Eyjolf  took  witness  that  he  challenged  all  those 
four  men  out  of  the  inquest,  and  that  he  did  it  with  law- 
ful form  of  challenge.  After  that  he  said  to  the  neigh- 
bours— 

"Ye  are  bound  to  render  lawful  justice  to  both  sides, 

250 


NOW  MEN  CO  TO  THE  COURTS 

and  now  ye  shall  go  before  the  court  when  ye  are  called, 
and  take  witness  that  ye  find  that  bar  to  uttering  your 
finding ;  that  ye  are  but  five  summoned  to  utter  your  find- 
ing, but  that  ye  ought  to  be  nine ;  and  now  Thorhall  may 
prove  and  carry  his  point  in  every  suit,  if  he  can  cure  this 
flaw  in  this  suit." 

And  now  it  was  plain  in  everything  that  Flosi  and 
Eyjolf  were  very  boastful ;  and  there  was  great  cry  that 
now  the  suit  for  the  burning  was  quashed,  and  that  again 
the  defence  was  better  than  the  prosecution. 

Then  Asgrim  spoke  to  Mord — 

"They  know  not  yet  of  what  to  boast  ere  we  have  seen 
my  son  Thorhall.  Njal  told  me  that  he  had  so  taught 
Thorhall  law,  that  he  would  turn  out  the  best  lawyer  in 
Iceland  whenever  it  were  put  to  the  proof." 

Then  a  man  was  sent  to  Thorhall  to  tell  him  how  things 
stood,  and  of  Flosi's  and  Eyjolf's  boasting,  and  the  cry 
of  the  people  that  the  suit  for  the  burning  was  quashed  in 
Mord's  hands. 

"It  will  be  well  for  them,"  says  Thorhall,  "if  they  get 
not  disgrace  from  this.  Thou  shalt  go  and  tell  Mord  to 
take  witness,  and  swear  an  oath,  that  the  greater  part  of 
the  inquest  is  rightly  summoned,  and  then  he  shall  bring 
that  witness  before  the  court,  and  then  he  may  set  the 
prosecution  on  its  feet  again ;  but  he  will  have  to  pay  a 
fine  of  three  marks  for  every  man  that  he  has  wrongly 
summoned ;  but  he  may  not  be  prosecuted  for  that  at  this 
Thing;  and  now  thou  shalt  go  back." 

He  does  so,  and  told  Mord  and  Asgrim  all,  word  for 
word,  that  Thorhall  had  said. 

251 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  Morel  went  to  the  court,  and  took  witness,  and 
swore  an  oath  that  the  greater  part  of  the  inquest  was 
rightly  summoned,  and  said  then  that  he  had  set  the  pros- 
ecution on  its  feet  again,  and  then  he  went  on,  "and  so  our 
foes  shall  have  honour  from  something  else  than  from 
this,  that  we  have  here  taken  a  great  false  step." 

Then  there  was  a  great  roar  that  Mord  handled  the  suit 
well ;  but  it  was  said  that  Flosi  and  his  men  betook  them 
only  to  quibbling  and  wrong. 

Flosi  asked  Eyjolf  if  this  could  be  good  law,  but  he 
said  he  could  not  surely  tell,  but  said  the  Lawman  must 
settle  this  knotty  point. 

Then  Thorkell  Geiti's  son  went  on  their  behalf  to  tell 
the  Lawman  how  things  stood,  and  asked  whether  this 
were  good  law  that  Mord  had  said. 

"More  men  are  great  lawyers,  now,"  says  Skapti,  "than 
I  thought.  I  must  tell  then,  that  this  is  such  good 
law  in  all  points,  that  there  is  not  a  word  to  say  against 
it ;  but  still  I  thought  that  I  alone  would  know  this,  now 
that  Njal  was  dead,  for  he  was  the  only  man  I  ever  knew 
who  knew  it." 

Then  Thorkel  went  back  to  Flosi  and  Eyjolf,  and  said 
that  this  was  good  law 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  went  to  the  court  and  took 
witness.  "I  take  witness  to  this,"  he  said,  "that  I  bid 
those  neighbours  on  the  inquest  in  the  suit  which  I  set 
on  foot  against  Flosi  Thord's  son  now  to  utter  their  find- 
ing, and  to  find  it  either  against  him  or  for  him;  I  bid 
them  by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the  court,  so  that  the 
judges  may  hear  it  across  the  court." 

252 


NOW  MEN  GO  TO  THE  COURTS 

Then  the  neighbours  on  Mord's  inquest  went  to  the 
court,  and  one  uttered  their  finding,  but  all  confirmed 
it  by  their  consent;  and  they  spoke  thus,  word  for 
word — 

"Mord  Valgard's  son  summoned  nine  of  us  thanes  on 
this  inquest,  but  here  we  stand  five  of  us,  four  having 
been  challenged  and  set  aside,  and  now  witness  has  been 
borne  as  to  the  absence  of  the  four  who  ought  to  have 
uttered  this  finding  along  with  us,  and  now  we  are  bound 
by  law  to  utter  our  finding.  We  were  summoned  to  bear 
this  witness,  whether  Flosi  Thord's  son  rushed  with  an  as- 
sault, laid  down  by  law,  on  Helgi  Njal's  son,  on  that  spot 
where  Flosi  Thord's  son  wounded  Helgi  Njal's  son  with 
a  brain,  or  a  body,  or  a  marrow  wound,  which  proved  a 
death-wound,  and  from  which  Helgi  got  his  death.  He 
summoned  us  to  utter  all  those  words  which  it  was  lawful 
for  us  to  utter,  and  which  he  should  call  on  us  to  answer 
before  the  court,  and  which  belong  to  this  suit;  he  sum- 
moned us,  so  that  we  heard  what  he  said;  he  summoned 
us  in  a  suit  which  Thorgeir  Thorir's  son  had  handed  over 
to  him,  and  now  we  have  all  sworn  an  oath,  and  found 
our  lawful  finding,  and  are  all  agreed,  and  we  utter  our 
finding  against  Flosi,  and  we  say  that  he  is  truly  guilty 
in  this  suit.  We  nine  men  on  this  inquest  of  neighbours 
so  shapen,  utter  this  our  finding  before  the  Eastfirthers' 
Court  over  the  head  of  John,  as  Mord  summoned  us  to 
do;  but  this  is  the  finding  of  all  of  us." 

Again  a  second  time  they  uttered  their  finding  against 
Flosi,  and  uttered  it  first  about  the  wounds,  and  last  about 
the  assault,  but  all  their  other  words  they  uttered  just  as 

253 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

they  had  before  uttered  their  finding  against  Flosi,  and 
brought  him  in  truly  guilty  in  the  suit. 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  went  before  the  court,  and 
took  witness  that  those  neighbours  whom  he  had  sum- 
moned in  the  suit  which  he  had  set  on  foot  against  Flosi 
Thord's  son  had  now  uttered  their  finding,  and  brought 
him  in  truly  guilty  in  the  suit ;  he  took  witness  to  this  for 
his  own  part,  or  for  those  who  might  wish  to  make  use 
of  this  witness. 

Again  a  second  time  Mord  took  witness  and  said — 

"I  take  witness  to  this  that  I  call  on  Flosi,  or  that  man 
who  has  to  undertake  the  lawful  defence  which  he  has 
handed  over  to  him,  to  begin  his  defence  to  this  suit  which 
I  have  set  on  foot  against  him,  for  now  all  the  steps  and 
proofs  have  been  brought  forward  which  belong  by  law 
to  this  suit ;  all  witness  borne,  the  finding  of  the  inquest 
uttered  and  brought  in,  witness  taken  to  the  finding,  and 
to  all  the  steps  which  have  gone  before;  but  if  any  such 
thing  arises  in  their  lawful  defence  which  I  need  to  turn 
into  a  suit  against  them,  then  I  claim  the  right  to  set  that 
suit  on  foot  against  them.  I  bid  this  my  lawful  bidding 
before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges  may  hear." 

"It  gladdens  me  now,  Eyjolf,"  said  Flosi,  "in  my  heart 
to  think  what  a  wry  face  they  will  make,  and  how  their 
pates  will  tingle  when  thou  bringest  forward  our  de- 
fence." 

CHAPTER  LXXXVIL 
OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON. 

THEN  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  went  before  the  court,  and 

took  witness  to  this — 

254 


OF  EYJOLF  BOLVERK'S  SON 

"I  take  witness  that  this  is  a  lawful  defence  in  this 
cause,  that  ye  have  pleaded  the  suit  in  the  Eastfirthers' 
Court,  when  ye  ought  to  have  pleaded  it  in  the  North- 
landers'  Court;  for  Flosi  has  declared  himself  one  of  the 
Thingmen  of  Askel  the  priest;  and  here  now  are  those 
two  witnesses  who  were  by,  and  who  will  bear  witness 
that  Flosi  handed  over  his  priesthood  to  his  brother  Thor- 
geir,  but  afterwards  declared  himself  one  of  Askel  the 
priest's  Thingmen.  I  take  witness  to  this  for  my  own 
part,  and  for  those  who  may  need  to  make  use  of  it." 

Again  Eyjolf  took  witness — "I  take  witness,"  he  said, 
"to  this,  that  I  bid  Mord  who  pleads  this  suit,  or  the  next 
of  kin,  to  listen  to  my  oath,  and  to  my  declaration  of  the 
defence  which  I  am  about  to  bring  forward;  I  bid  him 
by  a  lawful  bidding  before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges 
may  hear  me." 

Again  Eyjolf  took  witness — 

"I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  swear  on  oath  on  the 
book,  a  lawful  oath,  and  say  it  before  God,  that  I  will  so 
defend  this  cause,  in  the  most  truthful,  and  most  just, 
and  most  lawful  way,  so  far  as  I  know,  and  so  fulfil  all 
lawful  duties  which  belong  to  me  at  this  Thing." 

Then  Eyjolf  said — 

"These  two  men  I  take  to  witness  that  I  bring  forward 
this  lawful  defence  that  this  suit  was  pleaded  in  another 
Quarter  Court,  than  that  in  which  it  ought  to  have  been 
pleaded ;  and  I  say  that  for  this  sake  their  suit  has  come 
to  naught;  I  utter  this  defence  in  this  shape  before  the 
Eastfirthers'  Court." 

After  that  he  let  all  the  witness  be  brought  forward 

255 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

which  belonged  to  the  defence,  and  then  he  took  witness 
to  all  the  steps  in  the  defence  to  prove  that  they  had  all 
been  duly  taken. 

After  that  Eyjolf  again  took  witness  and  said — 

"I  take  witness  to  this,  that  I  forbid  the  judges,  by  a 
lawful  protest  before  the  priest,  to  utter  judgment  in  the 
suit  of  Mord  and  his  friends,  for  now  a  lawful  defence 
has  been  brought  before  the  court.  I  forbid  you  by  a 
protest  made  before  a  priest ;  by  a  full,  fair,  and  binding 
protest;  as  I  have  a  right  to  forbid  you  by  the  common 
custom  of  the  Althing,  and  by  the  law  of  the  land." 

After  that  he  called  on  the  judges  to  pronounce  for  the 
defence. 

Then  Asgrim  and  his  friends  brought  on  the  other  suits 
for  the  burning,  and  those  suits  took  their  course. 

CHAPTER  LXXXVIII. 

THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL  ASGRIM^S  SON. 

Now  Asgrim  and  his  friends  sent  a  man  to  Thorhall, 
and  let  him  be  told  in  what  a  strait  they  had  come. 

"Too  far  off  was  I  now,"  answers  Thorhall,  "for  this 
cause  might  still  not  have  taken  this  turn  if  I  had  been 
by.  I  now  see  their  course  that  they  must  mean  to  sum- 
mon you  to  the  Fifth  Court  for  contempt  of  the  Thing. 
They  must  also  mean  to  divide  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  in 
the  suit  for  the  Burning,  so  that  no  judgment  may  be 
given,  for  now  they  behave  so  as  to  show  that  they  will 
stay  at  no  ill.  Now  shalt  thou  go  back  to  them  as  quickly 
as  thou  canst  and  say  that  Mord  must  summon  them  both, 

256 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL  ASGRIM'S  SON 

both  Flosi  and  Eyjolf,  for  having  brought  money  into  the 
Fifth  Court,  and  make  it  a  case  of  lesser  outlawry.  Then 
he  shall  summon  them  with  a  second  summons  for  that 
they  have  brought  forward  that  witness  which  had  noth- 
ing to  do  with  their  cause,  and  so  were  guilty  of  con- 
tempt of  the  Thing;  and  tell  them  that  I  say  this,  that  if 
two  suits  for  lesser  outlawry  hang  over  one  and  the  same 
man,  that  he  shall  be  adjudged  a  thorough  outlaw  at  once. 
And  for  this  ye  must  set  your  suits  on  foot  first,  that  then 
ye  will  first  go  to  trial  and  judgment." 

Now  the  messenger  went  his  way  back  and  told  Mord 
and  Asgrim. 

After  that  they  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  Mord 
Valgard's  son  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness  to  this  that  I  summon  Flosi  Thord's 
son,  for  that  he  gave  money  for  his  help  here  at  the  Thing 
to  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son.  I  say  that  he  ought  on  this 
charge  to  be  made  a  guilty  outlaw,  for  this  sake  alone  to 
be  forwarded  or  to  be  allowed  the  right  of  frithstow 
(sanctuary),  if  his  fine  and  bail  are  brought  fonvard  at 
the  execution  levied  on  his  house  and  goods,  but  else  to 
become  a  thorough  outlaw.  I  say  all  his  goods  are  for- 
feited, half  to  me  and  half  to  the  men  of  the  Quarter 
who  have  the  right  by  law  to  take  his  goods  after  he  has 
been  outlawed.  I  summon  this  cause  before  the  Fifth 
Court,  whither  the  cause  ought  to  come  by  law;  I  sum- 
mon it  to  be  pleaded  now  and  to  full  outlawry.  I  sum- 
mon with  a  lawful  summons.  I  summon  in  the  hearing 
of  all  men  at  the  Hill  of  Laws." 

With  a  like  summons  he  summoned  Eyjolf  Bolverk's 

257 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

son,  for  that  he  had  taken  and  received  the  money,  and  he 
summoned  him  for  that  sake  to  the  Fifth  Court. 

Again  a  second  time  he  summoned  Flosi  and  Eyjolf, 
for  that  sake  that  they  had  brought  forward  that  witness 
at  the  Thing  which  had  nothing  lawfully  to  do  with  the 
cause  of  the  parties,  and  had  so  been  guilty  of  contempt 
of  the  Thing;  and  he  laid  the  penalty  for  that  at  lesser 
outlawry.  Then  they  went  away  to  the  Court  of  Laws, 
there  the  Fifth  Court  was  then  set. 

Now  when  Mord  and  Asgrim  had  gone  away,  then  the 
judges  in  the  Eastfirthers'  Court  could  not  agree  how 
they  should  give  judgment,  for  some  of  them  wished  to 
give  judgment  for  Flosi,  but  some  for  Mord  and  Asgrim. 
Then  Flosi  and  Eyjolf  tried  to  divide  the  court,  and  there 
they  stayed,  and  lost  time  over  that  while  the  summoning 
at  the  Hill  of  Laws  was  going  on.  A  little  while  after 
Flosi  and  Eyjolf  were  told  that  they  had  been  summoned 
at  the  Hill  of  Laws  into  the  Fifth  Court,  each  of  them 
with  two  summons.  Then  Eyjolf  said — 

"In  an  evil  hour  have  we  loitered  here  while  they  have 
been  before  us  in  quickness  of  summoning.  Now  hath 
come  out  Thorhall's  cunning,  and  no  man  is  his  match  in 
wit.  Now  they  have  the  first  right  to  plead  their  cause 
before  the  court,  and  that  was  everything  for  them;  but 
still  we  will  go  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  set  our  suit  on 
foot  against  them,  though  that  will  now  stand  us  in  little 
stead." 

Then  they  fared  to  the  Hill  of  Laws,  and  Eyjolf  sum- 
moned thenr  for  contempt  of  the  Thing. 

After  that  they  went  to  the  Fifth  Court. 

258 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL  ASGRIM'S  SON 

Now  we  must  say  that  when  Mord  and  Asgrim  came 
to  the  Fifth  Court,  Mord  took  witness  and  bade  them 
listen  to  his  oath,  and  the  declaration  of  his  suit,  and  to 
all  those  proofs  and  steps  which  he  meant  to  bring  forward 
against  Flosi  and  Eyjolf.  He  bade  them  by  a  lawful  bid- 
ding before  the  court,  so  that  the  judges  could  hear  him 
across  the  court. 

In  the  Fifth  Court  vouchers  had  to  follow  the  oaths  of 
the  parties,  and  they  had  to  take  an  oath  after  them. 

Mord  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness,"  he  said,  "to  this,  that  I  take  a  Fifth 
Court  oath.  I  pray  God  so  to  help  me  in  this  light  and  in 
the  next,  as  I  shall  plead  this  suit  as  I  know  to  be  most 
truthful,  and  just,  and  lawful.  I  believe  with  all  my 
heart  that  Flosi  is  truly  guilty  in  this  suit,  if  I  may  bring 
forward  my  proofs;  and  I  have  not  brought  money  into 
this  court  in  this  suit,  and  I  will  not  bring  it.  I  have  not 
taken  money,  and  I  will  not  take  it,  neither  for  a  lawful 
nor  for  an  unlawful  end." 

The  men  who  were  Mord's  vouchers  then  went  two  of 
them  before  the  court,  and  took  witness  to  this — 

"We  take  witness  that  we  take  an  oath  on  the  book,  a 
lawful  oath ;  we  pray  God  so  to  help  us  two  in  this  light 
and  in  the  next,  as  we  lay  it  on  our  honour  that  we  be- 
lieve with  all  our  hearts  that  Mord  will  so  plead  this  suit 
as  he  knows  to  be  most  truthful,  and  most  just,  and  most 
lawful,  and  that  he  hath  not  brought  money  into  this 
court  in  this  suit  to  help  himself,  and  that  he  will  not  offer 
it,  and  that  he  hath  not  taken  money,  nor  will  he  take  it, 
either  for  a  lawful  or  unlawful  end." 

259 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Mord  had  summoned  nine  neighbours  who  lived  next 
to  the  Thingfield  on  the  inquest  in  the  suit,  and  then 
Mord  took  witness,  and  declared  those  four  suits  which 
he  had  set  on  foot  against  Flosi  and  Eyjolf ;  and  Mord 
used  all  those  words  in  his  declaration  that  he  had  used 
in  his  summons.  He  declared  his  suits  for  outlawry  in 
the  same  shape  before  the  Fifth  Court  as  he  had  uttered 
them  when  he  summoned  the  defendants. 

Mord  took  witness  and  bade  those  nine  neighbours  on 
the  inquest  to  take  their  seats  west  on  the  river-bank. 

Mord  took  witness  again,  and  bade  Flosi  and  Eyjolf 
to  challenge  the  inquest. 

They  went  up  to  challenge  the  inquest,  and  looked  nar- 
rowly at  them,  but  could  get  none  of  them  set  aside ;  then 
they  went  away  as  things  stood,  and  were  very  ill  pleased 
with  their  case. 

Then  Mord  took  witness,  and  bade  those  nine 
neighbours  whom  he  had  before  called  on  the  inquest, 
to  utter  their  finding,  and  to  bring  it  in  either  for  or 
against  Flosi. 

Then  the  neighbours  on  Mord's  inquest  came  before 
the  court,  and  one  uttered  the  finding,  but  all  the  rest 
confirmed  it  by  their  consent.  They  had  all  taken  the 
Fifth  Court  oath,  and  they  brought  in  Flosi  as  truly  guilty 
in  the  suit,  and  brought  in  their  finding  against  him. 
They  brought  it  in  in  such  a  shape  before  the  Fifth  Court 
over  the  head  of  the  same  man  over  whose  head  Mord 
had  already  declared  his  suit.  After  that  they  brought  in 
all  those  findings  which  they  were  bound  to  bring  in  in 
all  the  other  suits,  and  all  was  done  in  lawful  form. 

260 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL  A  SCRIM'S  SON 

Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  and  Flosi  \vatched  to  find  a  flaw 
in  the  proceedings,  but  could  get  nothing  done. 

Then  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness.  "I  take  wit-1 
ness,"  said  he,  "to  this,  that  these  nine  neighbours  whom 
I  called  on  these  suits  which  I  have  had  hanging  over  the 
heads  of  Flosi  Thord's  son,  and  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son, 
have  now  uttered  their  finding,  and  have  brought  them  in 
truly  guilty  in  these  suits." 

He  took  this  witness  for  his  own  part. 

Again  Mord  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness,"  he  said,  "to  this,  that  I  bid  Flosi 
Thord's  son,  or  that  other  man  who  has  taken  his  lawful 
defence  in  hand,  now  to  begin  their  defence;  for  now  all 
the  steps  and  proofs  have  been  brought  forward  in  the 
suit,  summons  to  listen  to  oaths,  oaths  taken,  suit  de- 
clared, witness  taken  to  the  summons,  neighbours  called 
on  to  take  their  seats  on  the  inquest,  defendant  called  on 
to  challenge  the  inquest,  finding  uttered,  witness  taken 
to  the  finding." 

He  took  this  witness  to  all  the  steps  that  had  been  taken 
in  the  suit. 

Then  that  man  stood  up  over  whose  head  the  suit  had 
been  declared  and  pleaded,  and  summed  up  the  case.  He 
summed  up  first  how  Mord  had  bade  them  listen  to  his 
oath,  and  to  his  declaration  of  the  suit,  and  to  all  the  steps 
and  proofs  in  it ;  then  he  summed  up  next  how  Mord  took 
his  oath  and  his  vouchers  theirs ;  then  he  summed  up  how 
Mord  pleaded  his  suit,  and  used  the  very  words  in  his 
summing  up  that  Mord  had  before  used  in  declaring  and 
pleading  his  suit,  and  which  he  had  used  in  his  summons, 

261 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

and  he  said  that  the  suit  came  before  the  Fifth  Court  in 
the  same  shape  as  it  was  when  he  uttered  it  at  the  sum- 
moning. Then  he  summed  up  that  men  had  borne  wit- 
ness to  the  summoning,  and  repeated  all  those  words  that 
Mord  had  used  in  his  summons,  and  which  they  had  used 
in  bearing  their  witness,  "and  which  I  now,"  he  said, 
"have  used  in  my  summing  up,  and  they  bore  their  wit- 
ness in  the  same  shape  before  the  Fifth  Court  as  he  ut- 
tered them  at  the  summoning."  After  that  he  summed 
up  that  Mord  bade  the  neighbours  on  the  inquest  to  take 
their  seats,  then  he  told  next  of  all  how  he  bade  Flosi  to 
challenge  the  inquest,  or  that  man  who  had  undertaken 
this  lawful  defence  for  him ;  then  he  told  how  the  neigh- 
bours went  to  the  court,  and  uttered  their  finding,  and 
brought  in  Flosi  truly  guilty  in  the  suit,  and  how  they 
brought  in  the  finding  of  an  inquest  of  nine  men  in  that 
shape  before  the  Fifth  Court.  Then  he  summed  up  how 
Mord  took  witness  to  all  the  steps  in  the  suit,  and  how 
he  had  bidden  the  defendant  to  begin  his  defence. 

After  that  Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness.  "I  take 
witness,"  he  said,  "to  this,  that  I  forbid  Flosi  Thord's 
son,  or  that  other  man  who  has  undertaken  the  lawful  de- 
fence for  him,  to  set  up  his  defence ;  for  now  are  all  the 
steps  taken  which  belong  to  the  suit,  when  the  case  has 
been  summed  up  and  the  proofs  repeated." 

After  that  the  foreman  added  these  words  of  Mord  to 
his  summing  up. 

Then  Mord  took  witness,  and  prayed  the  judges  to  give 
judgment  in  this  suit. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said,  "Thou  wilt  have  to  do  more 

262 


THE  COUNSEL  OF  THORHALL  ASGRIM'S  SON 

yet,  Mord,  for  four  twelves  can  have  no  right  to  pass 
judgment." 

Now  Flosi  said  to  Eyjolf,  "What  counsel  is  to  be  taken 
now?" 

Then  Eyjolf  said,  "Now  we  must  make  the  best  of  a 
bad  business ;  but  still,  we  will  bide  our  time,  for  now  I 
guess  that  they  will  make  a  false  step  in  their  suit,  for 
Mord  prayed  for  judgment  at  once  in  the  suit,  but  they 
ought  to  call  and  set  aside  six  men  out  of  the  court,  and 
after  that  they  ought  to  offer  us  to  call  and  set  aside  six 
other  men,  but  we  will  not  do  that,  for  then  they  ought 
to  call  and  set  aside  those  six  men,  and  they  will  perhaps 
overlook  that;  then  all  their  case  has  come  to  naught  if 
they  do  not  do  that,  for  three  twelves  have  to  judge  in 
every  cause." 

"Thou  art  a  wise  man,  Eyjolf,"  said  Flosi,  "so  that  few 
can  come  nigh  thee." 

Mord  Valgard's  son  took  witness. 

"I  take  witness,"  he  said,  "to  this,  that  I  call  and  set 
aside  these  six  men  out  of  the  court" — and  named  them 
all  by  name — "I  do  not  allow  you  to  sit  in  the  court;  I 
call  you  out  and  set  you  aside  by  the  rightful  custom  of 
the  Althing,  and  the  law  of  the  land." 

After  that  he  offered  Eyjolf  and  Flosi,  before  wit- 
nesses, to  call  out  by  name  and  set  aside  other  six  men, 
but  Flosi  and  Eyjolf  would  not  call  them  out. 

Then  Mord  made  them  pass  judgment  in  the  cause; 
but  when  the  judgment  was  given,  Eyjolf  took  witness, 
and  said  that  all  their  judgment  had  come  to  naught, 
and  also  everything  else  that  had  been  done,  and  his 

263 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

ground  was  that  three  twelves  and  one  half  had  judged, 
when  three  only  ought  to  have  given  judgment. 

"And  now  we  will  follow  up  our  suits  before  the  Fifth 
Court,"  said  Eyjolf,  "and  make  them  outlaws." 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said  to  Mord  Valgard's  son — 

"Thou  hast  made  a  very  great  mistake  in  taking  such  a 
false  step,  and  this  is  great  ill-luck ;  but  what  counsel  shall 
we  now  take,  kinsman  Asgrim?"  says  Gizur. 

Then  Asgrim  said — "Now  we  will  send  a  man  to  my 
son  Thorhall,  and  know  what  counsel  he  will  give  us." 

CHAPTER  LXXXIX. 

BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING. 

Now  Snorri  the  priest  hears  how  the  causes  stood,  and 
then  he  begins  to  draw  up  his  men  in  array  below  the 
"Great  Rift,"  between  it  and  Hadbooth,  and  laid  down 
beforehand  to  his  men  how  they  were  to  behave. 

Now  the  messenger  comes  to  Thorhall  Asgrim's  son, 
and  tells  him  how  things  stood,  and  how  Mord  Valgard's 
son  and  his  friends  would  all  be  made  outlaws,  and  the 
suits  for  manslaughter  be  brought  to  naught. 

But  when  he  heard  that,  he  was  so  shocked  at  it  that  he 
could  not  utter  a  word.  He  jumped  up  then  from  his 
bed,  and  clutched  with  both  hands  his  spear,  Skarphedinn's 
gift,  and  drove  it  through  his  foot;  then  flesh  clung  to 
the  spear,  and  the  eye  of  the  boil  too,  for  he  had  cut  it 
clean  out  of  the  foot,  but  a  torrent  of  blood  and  matter 
poured  out,  so  that  it  fell  in  a  stream  along  the  floor. 
Now  he  went  out  of  the  booth  unhalting,  and  walked  so 
hard  that  the  messenger  could  not  keep  up  with  him,  and 

264 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING 

so  he  goes  until  he  came  to  the  Fifth  Court.  There  he 
met  Grim  the  red,  Flosi's  kinsman,  and  as  soon  as  ever 
they  met,  Thorhall  thrust  at  him  with  the  spear,  and 
smote  him  on  the  shield  and  clove  it  in  twain,  but  the 
spear  passed  right  through  him,  so  that  the  point  came 
out  between  his  shoulders.  Thorhall  cast  him  off  his 
spear. 

Then  Kari  Solmund's  son  caught  sight  of  that,  and 
said  to  Asgrim — 

"Here  now,  is  come  Thorhall  thy  son,  and  has  straight- 
way slain  a  man,  and  this  is  a  great  shame,  if  he  alone 
shall  have  the  heart  to  avenge  the  Burning." 

"That  shall  not  be,"  says  Asgrim,  "but  let  us  turn  on 
them  now." 

Then  there  was  a  mighty  cry  all  over  the  host,  and  then 
they  shouted  their  war-cries. 

Flosi  and  his  friends  then  turned  against  their  foes, 
and  both  sides  egged  on  their  men  fast. 

Kari  Solmund's  son  turned  now  thither  where  Ami 
Kol's  son  and  Hallbjorn  the  strong  were  in  front,  and  as 
soon  as  ever  Hallbjorn  saw  Kari,  he  made  a  blow  at  him, 
and  aimed  at  his  leg,  but  Kari  leapt  up  into  the  air,  and 
Hallbjorn  missed  him.  Kari  turned  on  Arni  Kol's  son 
and  cut  at  him,  and  smote  him  on  the  shoulder,  and  cut 
asunder  the  shoulder  blade  and  collar  bone,  and  the  blow 
went  right  down  into  his  breast,  and  Arni  fell  down  dead 
at  once  to  earth. 

After  that  he  hewed  at  Hallbjorn  and  caught  him  on 
the  shield,  and  the  blow  passed  through  the  shield,  and  so 
down  and  cut  off  his  great  toe.  Holmstein  hurled  a  spear 

265 

20 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

at  Kari,  but  he  caught  it  in  the  air,  and  sent  it  back,  and 
it  was  a  man's  death  in  Flosi's  band. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  came  up  to  where  Hallbjorn  the 
strong  was  in  front,  and  Thorgeir  made  such  a  spear- 
thrust  at  him  with  his  left  hand  that  Hallbjorn  fell  before 
it,  and  had  hard  work  to  get  on  his  feet  again,  and  turned 
away  from  the  fight  there  and  then.  Then  Thorgeir  met 
Thorwalld  Kettle  rumble's  son,  and  hewed  at  him  at  once 
with  the  axe,  "the  ogress  of  war,"  which  Skarphedinn  had 
owned.  Thorwalld  threw  his  shield  before  him,  and 
Thorgeir  hewed  the  shield  and  cleft  it  from  top  to  bot- 
tom, but  the  upper  horn  of  the  axe  made  its  way  into 
his  breast,  and  passed  into  his  trunk,  and  Thorwalld  fell 
and  was  dead  at  once. 

Now  it  must  be  told  how  Asgrim  Kllidagrim's  son,  and 
Thorhall  his  son,  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  Gizur  the 
white,  made  an  onslaught  where  Flosi  and  the  sons  of 
Sigfus,  and  the  other  Burners  were;  then  there  was  a 
very  hard  fight,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that  they  pressed 
on  so  hard,  that  Flosi  and  his  men  gave  way  before  them. 
Gudm.und  the  powerful,  and  Mord  Valgard's  son,  and 
Thorgeir  Craggeir,  made  their  onslaught  where  the  Axe- 
firthers  and  Eastfirthers,  and  the  men  of  Reykdale  stood, 
and  there  too  there  was  a  very  hard  fight. 

Kari  Solmund's  son  came  up  where  Bjarni  Broddhel- 
gi's  son  had  the  lead.  Kari  caught  up  a  spear  and  thrust 
at  him,  and  the  blow  fell  on  his  shield.  Bjarni  slipped  the 
shield  on  one  side  of  him,  else  it  had  gone  straight  through 
him.  Then  he  cut  at  Kari  and  aimed  at  his  leg,  but  Kari 
drew  back  his  leg  and  turned  short  round  on  his  heel,  and 

266 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING 

Bjarni  missed  him.  Kari  cut  at  once  at  him,  and  then  a 
man  ran  forward  and  threw  his  shield  before  Bjarni. 
Kari  cleft  the  shield  in  twain,  and  the  point  of  the  sword 
caught  his  thigh,  and  ripped  up  the  whole  leg  down  to  the 
ankle.  .That  man  fell  there  and  then,  and  was  ever  after 
a  cripple  so  long  as  he  lived. 

Then  Kari  clutched  his  spear  with  both  hands,  and 
turned  on  Bjarni  and  thrust  at  him;  he  saw  he  had  no 
other  chance  but  to  throw  himself  down  sidelong  away 
from  the  blow,  but  as  soon  as  ever  Bjarni  found  his  feet, 
away  he  fell  back  out  of  the  fight. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  and  Gizur  the  white  fell  on  there 
where  Holmstein,  the  son  of  Bersi  the  wise,  and  Thorkel 
Geiti's  son  were  leaders,  and  the  end  of  the  struggle  was, 
that  Holmstein  and  Thorkel  gave  way,  and  then  arose  a 
mighty  hooting  after  them  from  the  men  of  Gudmund  the 
powerful. 

Thorwalld  Tjorfi's  son  of  Ljghtwater  got  a  great 
wound;  he  was  shot  in  the  forearm,  and  men  thought 
that  Halldor  Gudmund  the  powerful's  son  had  hurled  the 
spear,  but  he  bore  that  wound  about  with  him  all  his  life 
long,  and  got  no  atonement  for  it. 

Now  there  was  a  mighty  throng.  But  though  we  hear 
tell  of  some  of  the  deeds  that  were  done,  still  there  are  far 
many  more  of  which  men  have  handed  down  no  stories. 

Flosi  had  told  them  that  they  should  make  for  the 
stronghold  in  the  Great  Rift  if  they  were  worsted,  "for 
there,"  said  he,  "they  will  only  be  able  to  attack  us  on  one 
side."  But  the  band  which  Hall  of  the  Side  and  his  son 
Ljot  led,  had  fallen  away  out  of  the  fight  before  the  on- 

267 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

slaught  of  that  father  and  son,  Asgrim  and  Thorhall. 
They  turned  down  east  of  Axewater,  and  Hall  said — 

"This  is  a  sad  state  of  things  when  the  whole  host  of 
men  at  the  Thing  fight,  and  I  would,  kinsman  Ljot,  that 
we  begged  us  help  even  though  that  be  brought  against  us 
by  some  men,  and  that  we  part  them.  Thou  shalt  wait 
for  me  at  the  foot  of  the  bridge,  and  I  will  go  to  the 
booths  and  beg  for  help." 

"If  I  see,"  said  Ljot,  "that  Flosi  and  his  men  need  help 
from  our  men,  then  I  will  at  once  run  up  and  aid  them." 

"Thou  wilt  do  in  that  as  thou  pleasest,"  says  Hall,  "but 
I  pray  thee  to  wait  for  me  here." 

Now  flight  breaks  out  in  Flosi's  band,  and  they  all  fly 
west  across  Axewater;  but  Asgrim  and  Gizur  the  white 
went  after  them  and  all  their  host.  Flosi  and  his  men 
turned  down  between  the  river  and  the  Outwork  booth. 
Snorri  the  priest  had  drawn  up  his  men  there  in  array,  so 
thick  that  they  could  not  pass  that  way,  and  Snorri  the 
priest  called  out  then  to  Flosi — 

"Why  fare  ye  in  such  haste,  or  who  chase  you  ?" 

"Thou  askest  not  this,"  answered  Flosi,  "because  thou 
dost  not  know  it  already;  but  whose  fault  is  it  that  we 
cannot  get  to  the  stronghold  in  the  Great  Rift?" 

"It  is  not  my  fault,"  says  Snorri,  "but  it  is  quite  true 
that  I  know  whose  fault  it  is,  and  I  will  tell  thee  if  thou 
wilt;  it  is  the  fault  of  Thorwalld  cropbeard  and  Kol." 

They  were  both  then  dead,  but  they  had  been  the  worst 
men  in  all  Flosi's  band. 

Again  Snorri  said  to  his  men — 

"Now  do  both,  cut  at  them  and  thrust  at  them,  and 

268 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING 

drive  them  away  hence,  they  will  then  hold  out  but  a  short 
while  here,  if  the  others  attack  them  from  below;  but 
then  ye  shall  not  go  after  them,  but  let  both  sides  shift 
for  themselves." 

The  son  of  Skapti  Thorod's  son  was  Thorstein  gape- 
mouth,  as  was  written  before,  he  was  in  the  battle  with 
Gudmund  the  powerful,  his  father-in-law,  and  as  soon 
as  Skapti  knew  that,  he  went  to  the  booth  of  Snorri  the 
priest,  and  meant  to  beg  for  help  to  part  them;  but  just 
before  he  had  got  as  far  as  the  door  of  Snorri's  booth, 
there  the  battle  was  hottest  of  all.  Asgrim  and  his  friends 
and  his  men  were  just  coming  up  thither,  and  then  Thor- 
hall  said  to  his  father  Asgrim — 

"See  there  now  is  Skapti  Thorod's  son,  father." 

"I  see  him,  kinsman,"  said  Asgrim,  and  then  he  shot  a 
spear  at  Skapti,  and  struck  him  just  below  where  the  calf 
was  fattest,  and  so  through  both  his  legs.  Skapti  fell  at 
the  blow,  and  could  not  get  up  again,  and  the  only  coun- 
sel they  could  take  who  were  by,  was  to  drag  Skapti  flat 
on  his  face  into  the  booth  of  a  turf-cutter. 

Then  Asgrim  and  his  men  came  up  so  fast  that  Flosi 
and  his  men  gave  way  before  them  south  along  the  river 
to  the  booths  of  the  men  of  Modruvale.  There  was  a 
man  outside  one  booth  whose  name  was  Solvi ;  he  was 
boiling  broth  in  a  great  kettle,  and  had  just  then  taken 
the  meat  out,  and  the  broth  was  boiling  as  hotly  as  it 
could. 

Solvi  cast  his  eyes  on  the  Eastfirthers  as  they  fled,  and 
they  were  then  just  over  against  him,  and  then  he  said — 
"Can  all  these  cowards  who  fly  here  be  Eastfirthers,  and 

269 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

yet  Thorkel  Geiti's  son,  he  ran  by  as  fast  as  any  one  of 
them,  and  very  great  lies  have  been  told  about  him  when 
men  say  that  he  is  all  heart,  but  now  no  one  ran  faster 
than  he." 

Hallbjorn  the  strong  was  near  by  them,  and  said — 

"Thou  shalt  not  have  it  to  say  that  we  are  all  cowards." 

And  with  that  he  caught  hold  of  him,  and  lifted  him 
up  aloft,  and  thrust  him  head  down  into  the  broth-kettle. 
Solvi  died  at  once;  but  then  a  rush  was  made  at  Hall- 
bjorn himself,  and  he  had  to  turn  and  fly. 

Flosi  threw  a  spear  at  Bruni  Haflidi's  son,  and  caught 
him  at  the  waist,  and  that  was  his  bane;  he  was  one  of 
Gudmund  the  powerful**  band. 

Thorstein  Hlenni's  son  took  the  spear  out  of  the  wound, 
and  hurled  it  back  at  Flosi,  and  hit  him  on  the  leg,  and  he 
got  a  great  wound  and  fell ;  he  rose  up  again  at  once. 

Then  they  passed  on  to  the  Waterfirthers'  booth,  and 
then  Hall  and  Ljot  came  from  the  east  across  the  river, 
with  all  their  band;  but  just  when  they  came  to  the  lava, 
a  spear  was  hurled  out  of  the  band  of  Gudmund  the  pow- 
erful, and  it  struck  Ljot  in  the  middle,  and  he  fell  down 
dead  at  once;  and  it  was  never  known  surely  who  had 
done  that  manslaughter. 

Flosi  and  his  men  turned  up  round  the  Waterfirther's 
booth,  and  then  Thorgeir  Craggeir  said  to  Kari  Sol- 
mund's  son — 

"Look,  yonder  now  is  Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son,  if  thou 
hast  a  mind  to  pay  him  off  for  the  ring." 

"That  I  ween  is  not  far  from  my  mind,"  says  Kari, 
and  snatched  a  spear  from  a  man,  and  hurled  it  at  Eyjolf, 

270 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING 

and  it  struck  him  in  the  waist,  and  went  through  him,  and 
Eyjolf  then  fell  dead  to  earth. 

Then  there  was  a  little  lull  in  the  battle,  and  then  Snorri 
the  priest  came  up  with  his  band,  and  Skapti  was  there  in 
his  company,  and  they  ran  in  between  them,  and  so  they 
could  not  get  at  one  another  to  fight. 

Then  Hall  threw  in  his  people  with  theirs,  and  was  for 
parting  them  there  and  then,  and  so  a  truce  was  set,  and 
was  to  be  kept  throughout  the  Thing,  and  then  the  bodies 
were  laid  out  and  borne  to  the  church,  and  the  wounds  of 
those  men  were  bound  up  who  were  hurt. 

The  day  after  men  went  to  the  Hill  of  Laws.  Then 
Hall  of  the  Side  stood  up  and  asked  for  a  hearing,  and  got 
it  at  once;  and  he  spoke  thus — 

"Here  there  have  been  hard  happening  in  lawsuits  and 
loss  of  life  at  the  Thing,  and  now  I  will  show  again  that 
I  am  little-hearted,  for  I  will  now  ask  Asgrim  and  the 
others  who  take  the  lead  in  these  suits,  that  they  grant 
us  an  atonement  on  even  terms ;"  and  so  he  goes  on  with 
many  fair  words. 

Kari  Solmund's  son  said — 

"Though  all  others  take  an  atonement  in  their  quarrels, 
yet  will  I  take  no  atonement  in  my  quarrel;  for  ye  will 
wish  to  weigh  these  manslayings  against  the  Burning, 
and  we  cannot  bear  that." 

In  the  same  way  spoke  Thorgeir  Craggeir. 

Then  Skapti  Thorod's  son  stood  up  and  said — 

"Better  had  it  been  for  thee,  Kari,  not  to  have  run 
away  from  thy  father-in-law  and  thy  brothers-in-law,  than 
now  to  sneak  out  of  this  atonement." 

271 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  Hall  of  the  Side  said— 

"All  men  know  what  a  grief  I  have  suffered  in  the  loss 
of  my  son  Ljot;  many  will  think  that  he  would  be  valued 
dearest  of  all  those  men  who  have  fallen  here ;  but  I  will 
do  this  for  the  sake  of  an  atonement — I  will  put  no  price 
on  my  son,  and  yet  will  come  forward  and  grant  both 
pledges  and  peace  to  those  who  are  my  adversaries.  I 
beg  thee,  Snorri  the  priest,  and  other  of  the  best  men,  to 
bring  this  about,  that  there  may  be  an  atonement  between 
us." 

Now  he  sits  him  down,  and  a  great  hum  in  his  favour 
followed,  and  all  praised  his  gentleness  and  goodwill. 

Then  Snorri  the  priest  stood,  up  and  made  a  long  and 
clever  speech,  and  begged  Asgrim  and  the  others  who 
took  the  lead  in  the  quarrel  to  look  towards  an  atone- 
ment. 

Then  Asgrim  said — 

"I  made  up  my  mind  when  Flosi  made  an  inroad  on 
my  house  that  I  would  never  be  atoned  with  him ;  but  now 
Snorri  the  priest,  I  will  take  an  atonement  from  him  for 
thy  word's  sake  and  other  of  our  friends.'* 

In  the  same  way  spoke  Thorleif  crow  and  Thorgrim 
the  big,  that  they  were  willing  to  be  atoned,  and  they 
urged  in  every  way  their  brother  Thorgeir  Craggeir  to 
take  an  atonement  also;  but  he  hung  back,  and  says  he 
would  never  part  from  Kari. 

Then  Gizur  the  white  said — 

"Now  Flosi  must  see  that  he  must  make  his  choice, 
whether  he  will  be  atoned  on  the  understanding  that  some 
will  be  out  of  the  atonement." 

272 


BATTLE  AT  THE  ALTHING 

Flosi  says  he  will  take  that  atonement;  "and  methinks 
it  is  so  much  the  better,"  he  says,  "that  I  have  fewer  good 
men  and  true  against  me." 

Then  Gudmund  the  powerful  said — 

"I  will  offer  to  hansel  peace  on  my  behalf  for  the  slay- 
ings  that  have  happened  here  at  the  Thing,  on  the  under- 
standing that  the  suit  for  the  Burning  is  not  to  fall  to  the 
ground." 

In  the  same  way  spoke  Gizur  the  white  and  Hjallti 
Skeggi's  son,  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son  and  Mord  Val- 
gard's  son. 

In  this  way  the  atonement  came  about,  and  then  hands 
were  shaken  on  it,  and  twelve  men  were  to  utter  the  award 
and  Snorri  the  priest  was  the  chief  man  in  the  award,  and 
others  with  him.  Then  the  manslaughters  were  set  off 
the  one  against  the  other,  and  those  men  who  were  over 
and  above  were  paid  for  in  fines.  They  also  made  an 
award  in  the  suit  about  the  Burning. 

Njal  was  to  be  atoned  for  with  a  triple  fine,  and  Berg- 
thora  with  two.  The  slaying  of  Skarphedinn  was  to  be 
set  off  against  that  of  Hauskuld  the  Whiteness  priest. 
Both  Grim  and  Helgi  wrere  to  be  paid  for  with  double 
fines;  and  one  full  man-fine  should  be  paid  for  each  of 
those  who  had  been  burnt  in  the  house. 

No  atonement  was  taken  for  the  slaying  of  Thord 
Kari's  son. 

It  was  also  in  the  award  that  Flosi  and  all  the  Burners 
should  go  abroad  into  banishment,  and  none  of  them  was 
to  sail  the  same  summer  unless  he  chose;  but  if  he  did  not 
sail  abroad  by  the  time  that  three  winters  were  spent, 

273 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

then  he  and  all  the  Burners  were  to  become  thorough  out- 
laws. And  it  was  also  said  that  their  outlawry  might  be 
proclaimed  either  at  the  Harvest-Thing  or  Spring-Thing, 
which  ever  men  chose ;  and  Flosi  was  to  stay  abroad  three 
winters. 

As  for  Gunnar  Lambi's  son,  and  Grani  Gunnar's  son, 
Glum  Hilldir's  son,  and  Kol  Thorstein's  son,  they  were 
never  to  be  allowed  to  come  back. 

Then  Flosi  was  asked  if  he  would  wish  to  have  a  price 
put  upon  his  wound,  but  he  said  he  would  not  take  bribes 
for  his  hurt. 

Eyjolf  Bolverk's  son  had  no  fine  awarded  for  him,  for 
his  unfairness  and  wrongfulness. 

And  now  this  settlement  and  atonement  was  handselled, 
and  was  wrell  kept  afterwards. 

Asgrim  and  his  friends  gave  Snorri  the  priest  good 
gifts,  and  he  had  great  honour  from  these  suits. 

Skapti  got  a  fine  for  his  hurt. 

Gizur  the  white,  and  Hjallti  Skeggi's  son,  and  Asgrim 
Ellidagrim's  son,  asked  Gudmund  the  powerful  to  come 
and  see  them  at  home.  He  accepted  the  bidding,  and  each 
of  them,  gave  him  a  gold  ring. 

Now  Gudmund  rides  home  north,  and  had  praise  from 
every  man  for  the  part  he  had  taken  in  these  quarrels. 

Thorgeir  Craggeir  asked  Kari  to  go  along  with  him, 
but  yet  first  of  all  they  rode  with  Gudmund  right  up  to 
the  fells  north.  Kari  gave  Gudmund  a  golden  brooch,  but 
Thorgeir  gave  him  a  silver  belt,  and  each  was  the  greatest 
treasure.  So  they  parted  with  the  utmost  friendship,  and 
Gudmund  is  out  of  this  story. 

274 


KARI  COMES  TO  BJORN'S  HOUSE 

Kari  and  Thorgeir  rode  south  from  the  fell,  and  down 
to  the  Rapes,  and  so  to  Thurso-water. 

Flosi,  and  the  Burners  along  with  him,  rode  east  to 
Fleetlithe,  and  he  allowed  the  sons  of  Sigfus  to  settle  their 
affairs  at  home.  Then  Flosi  heard  that  Thorgeir  and 
Kari  had  ridden  north  with  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and 
so  the  Burners  thought  that  Kari  and  his  friend  must 
mean  to  stay  in  the  north  country ;  and  then  the  sons  of 
Sigfus  asked  leave  to  go  east  under  Eyjafell  to  get  in  their 
money,  for  they  had  money  out  on  call  at  Headbrink. 
Flosi  gave  them  leave  to  do  that,  but  still  bade  them  be 
ware  of  themselves,  and  be  as  short  a  time  about  it  as  they 
could. 

Then  Flosi  rode  up  by  Godaland,  and  so  north  of  Eyja- 
fell Jokul,  and  did  not  draw  bridle  before  he  came  home 
east  to  Swinefell. 

Now  it  must  be  said  that  Hall  of  the  Side  had  suffered 
his  son  to  fall  without  a  fine,  and  did  that  for  the  sake  of 
an  atonement,  but  then  the  whole  host  of  men  at  the  Thing 
agreed  to  pay  a  fine  for  him,  and  the  money  so  paid  was 
not  less  than  eight  hundred  in  silver,  but  that  was  four 
times  the  price  of  a  man ;  but  all  the  others  who  had  been 
with  Flosi  got  no  fines  paid  for  their  hurts,  and  were  very 
ill  pleased  at  it. 

CHAPTER  XC. 

KARI    COMES   TO    BJORN'S    HOUSE    IN    THE    MARK. 

THORGEIR  CRAGGEIR  rode  home  from  the  peace-meet- 
ing, and  Kari  asked  whether  the  atonement  had  come 
about.  Thorgeir  said  that  they  now  fully  atoned. 

275 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  Kari  took  his  horse  and  was  for  riding  away. 

"Thou  hast  no  need  to  ride  away,"  says  Thorgeir,  "for 
it  was  laid  down  in  our  atonement  that  thou  shouldst  be 
here  as  before  if  thou  chosest." 

"It  shall  not  be  so,  cousin,  for  as  soon  as  ever  I  slay 
a  man  they  will  be  sure  to  say  that  thou  wert  in  the  plot 
with  me,  and  I  will  not  have  that;  but  I  wish  this,  that 
thou  wouldst  let  me  hand  over  in  trust  to  thee  my  goods, 
and  the  estates  of  me  and  my  wife  Helga  Njal's  daughter, 
and  my  three  daughters,  and  then  they  will  not  be  seized 
by  those  adversaries  of  mine." 

Thorgeir  agreed  to  what  Kari  wished  to  ask  of  him, 
and  then  Thorgeir  had  Kari's  goods  handed  over  to  him 
in  trust. 

After  that  Kari  rode  away.  He  had  two  horses  and 
his  weapons  and  outer  clothing,  and  some  ready  money  in 
gold  and  silver. 

Now  Kari  rode  west  by  Selialandsmull  and  up  along 
Markfleet,  and  so  on  up  into  Thorsmark.  There  there 
are  three  farms  all  called  "Mark."  At  the  midmost  farm 
dwelt  that  man  whose  name  was  Bjorn,  and  his  surname 
was  Bjorn  the  white;  he  was  the  son  of  Kadal,  the  son 
of  Bjalfi.  Bjalfi  had  been  the  freedman  of  Asgerda,  the 
mother  of  Njal  and  Holt-Thorir ;  Bjorn  had  to  wife  Val- 
gerda,  she  was  the  daughter  of  Thorbrand,  the  son  of 
Asbrand.  Her  mother's  name  was  Gudlauga,  she  was  a 
sister  of  Hamond,  the  father  of  Gunnar  of  Lithend;  she 
was  given  away  to  Bjorn  for  his  money's  sake,  and  she 
did  not  love  him  much,  but  yet  they  had  children  to- 
gether, and  they  had  enough  and  to  spare  in  the  house. 

276 


KARI  COMES  TO  BJORN'S  HOUSE 

Bjorn  was  a  man  who  was  always  boasting  and  prais- 
ing himself,  but  his  housewife  thought  that  bad.  He  was 
sharpsighted  and  swift  of  foot. 

Thither  Kari  turned  in  as  a  guest,  and  they  took  him 
by  both  hands,  and  he  was  there  that  night.  But  the  next 
morning  Kari  said  to  Bjorn — 

"I  wish  thou  wouldst  take  me  in,  for  I  should  think 
myself  well  housed  here  with  thee.  I  would  too  that  thou 
shouldst  be  with  me  in  my  journeyings,  as  thou  art  a 
sharp-sighted,  swift-footed  man,  and  besides  I  think  thou 
wouldst  be  dauntless  in  an  onslaught." 

"I  can't  blame  myself,"  says  Bjorn,  "for  wanting  either 
sharp  sight,  or  dash,  or  any  other  bravery ;  but  no  doubt 
thou  earnest  hither  because  all  thy  other  earths  are 
stopped.  Still,  at  thy  prayer,  Kari,  I  will  not  look  on 
thee  as  an  everyday  man ;  I  will  surely  help  thee  in  all  that 
thou  askest." 

"The  trolls  take  thy  boasting  and  bragging,"  said  his 
housewife,  "and  thou  shouldst  not  utter  such  stuff  and 
silliness  to  any  one  than  thyself.  As  for  me,  I  will  wil- 
lingly give  Kari  meat  and  other  good  things,  which  I 
know  will  be  useful  to  him;  but  on  Bjorn's  hardihood, 
Kari,  thou  shalt  not  trust,  for  I  am  afraid  that  thou 
wilt  find  it  quite  otherwise  than  he  says." 

"Often  hast  thou  thrown  blame  upon  me,"  said  Bjorn, 
"but  for  all  that  I  put  so  much  faith  in  myself  that  though 
I  am  put  to  the  trial  I  will  never  give  way  to  any  man ; 
and  the  best  proof  of  it  is  this,  that  few  try  a  tussle 
with  me  because  none  dare  to  do  so." 

Kari  was  there  some  while  in  hiding,  and  few  men 
knew  of  it.  2-_ 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Now  men  think  that  Kari  must  have  ridden  to  the 
north  country  to  see  Gudmund  the  powerful,  for  Kari 
made  Bjorn  tell  his  neighbours  that  he  had  met  Kari  on 
the  beaten  track,  and  that  he  rode  thence  up  into  Goda- 
land,  and  so  north  to  Goose-sand,  and  then  north  to 
Gudmund  the  powerful  at  Modruvale. 

So  that  storv  was  spread  over  all  the  country. 

CHAPTER  XCI. 

OF  FL.OSI  AND  THU  BURNERS. 

Now  Flosi  spoke  to  the  Burners,  his  companions — 

"It  will  no  longer  serve  our  turn  to  sit  still,  for  now 
we  shall  have  to  think  of  our  going  abroad  and  of  our 
fines,  and  of  fulfilling  our  atonement  as  bravely  as  we 
can,  and  let  us  take  a  passage  wherever  it  seems  most 
likely  to  get  one." 

They  bade  him  see  to  all  that.     Then  Flosi  said — 

"We  will  ride  east  to  Hornfirth;  for  there  that  ship 
is  laid  up,  which  is  owned  by  Eyjolf  nosy,  a  man  from 
Drontheim,  but  he  wants  to  take  to  him  a  wife  here,  and 
he  will  not  get  the  match  made  unless  he  settles  himself 
down  here.  We  will  buy  the  ship  of  him,  for  we  shall 
have  many  men  and  little  freight.  The  ship  is  big  and 
will  take  us  all.' 

Then  they  ceased  talking  of  it. 

But  a  little  after  they  rode  east,  and  did  not  stop 
before  they  came  east  to  Bjornness  in  Hornfirth,  and 
there  they  found  Eyjolf,  for  he  had  been  there  as  a  guest 
that  winter. 

There  Flosi  and  his  men  had  a  hearty  welcome,  and 

278 


OF  FLOSI  AND  THE  BURNERS 

they  were  there  the  night.  Next  morning  Flosi  dealt 
with  the  captain  for  the  ship,  but  he  said  he  would  not 
be  hard  to  sell  the  ship  if  he  could  get  what  he  wanted 
for  her.  Flosi  asked  him  in  what  coin  he  wished  to  be 
paid  for  her ;  the  Easterling  says  he  wanted  land  for  her 
near  where  he  then  was. 

Then  Eyjolf  told  Flosi  all  about  his  dealings  with  his 
host,  and  Flosi  says  he  will  pull  an  oar  with  him,  so  that 
his  marriage  bargain  might  be  struck,  and  buy  the  ship 
of  him  afterwards.  The  Easterling  was  glad  at  that. 
Flosi  offered  him  land  at  Borgarhaven,  and  now  the 
Easterling  holds  on  with  his  suit  to  his  host  when 
Flosi  was  by,  and  Flosi  threw  in  a  helping  word,  so  that 
the  bargain  was  brought  about  between  them. 

Flosi  made  over  the  land  at  Borgarhaven  to  the  Easter- 
ling, but  shook  hands  on  the  bargain  for  the  ship.  He 
got  also  from  the  Easterling  twenty  hundreds  in  wares, 
and  that  was  also  in  their  bargain  for  the  land. 

Now  Flosi  rode  back  home.  He  was  so  beloved  by  his 
men  that  their  wares  stood  free  to  him  to  take  either  on 
loan  or  gift,  just  as  he  chose. 

He  rode  home  to  Swinefell,  and  was  at  home  a  while. 

Then  Flosi  sent  Kol  Thorstein's  son  and  Gunnar 
Lambi's  son  east  to  Hornfirth.  They  were  to  be  there 
by  the  ship,  and  to  fit  her  out,  and  set  up  booths,  and 
sack  the  wares,  and  get  all  things  together  that  were 
needful. 

Now  we  must  tell  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus  how  they  say 
to  Flosi  that  they  will  ride  west  to  Fleetlithe  to  set  their 
houses  in  order,  and  get  wares  thence,  and  such  other 

279 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

things  as  they  needed.  "Kari  is  not  there  now  to  be 
guarded  against,"  they  say,  "if  he  is  in  the  north  country 
as  is  said." 

"I  know  not,"  answers  Flosi,  "as  to  such  stories, 
whether  there  be  any  truth  in  what  is  said  of  Kari's 
journeyings;  methinks,  we  have  often  been  wrong  in 
believing  things  which  are  nearer  to  learn  than  this.  My 
counsel  is  that  ye  go  many  of  you  together,  and  part  as 
little  as  you  can,  and  be  as  wary  of  yourselves  as  ye  may. 
Thou,  too,  Kettle  of  the  Mark,  shalt  bear  in  mind  that 
dream  which  I  told  thee,  and  which  thou  prayedst  me  to 
hide;  for  many  are  those  in  thy  company  who  were 
then  called." 

"All  must  come  to  pass  as  to  man's  life,"  said  Kettle, 
"as  it  is  foredoomed;  but  good  go  with  thee  for  thy 
warning." 

Now  they  spoke  no  more  about  it. 

After  that  the  sons  of  Sigfus  busked  them  and  those 
men  with  them  who  were  meant  to  go  with  them.  They 
were  eight  in  all,  and  then  they  rode  away,  and  ere  they 
went  they  kissed  Flosi,  and  he  bade  them  farewell,  and 
said  he  and  some  of  those  who  rode  away  would  not  see 
each  other  more.  But  they  would  not  let  themselves  be 
hindered.  They  rode  now  on  their  way,  and  Flosi  said 
that  they  should  take  his  wares  in  Middleland,  and  carry 
them  east,  and  do  the  same  in  Landsbreach  and  Wood- 
combe. 

After  that  they  rode  to  Skaptartongue,  and  so  on  the 
fell,  and  north  of  Eyjafell  Jokul,  and  down  into  Goda- 
land,  and  so  down  into  the  woods  in  Thorsmark. 

280 


OF  FLOS1  AND  THE  BURNERS 

Bjorn  of  the  Mark  caught  sight  of  them  coming,  and 
went  at  once  to  meet  them. 

Then  they  greeted  each  other  well,  and  the  sons  of 
Sigfus  asked  after  Kari  Solmund's  son. 

"I  met  Kari,"  said  Bjorn,  "and  that  is  now  very  long 
since;  he  rode  hence  north  on  Goose-sand,  and  meant  to 
go  to  Gudmund  the  powerful,  and  methought  if  he  were 
here  now,  he  would  stand  in  awe  of  you,  for  he  seemed 
to  be  left  all  alone." 

Grani  Gunnar's  son  said — 

"He  shall  stand  more  in  awe  of  us  yet  before  we  have 
done  with  him,  and  he  shall  learn  that  as  soon  as  ever  he 
comes  within  spearthrow  of  us ;  but  as  for  us,  we  do  not 
fear  him  at  all,  now  that  he  is  all  alone." 

Kettle  of  the  Mark  bade  them  be  still,  and  bring  out 
no  big  words. 

Bjorn  asked  when  they  would  be  coming  back. 

"We  shall  stay  near  a  week  in  Fleetlithe,"  said  they; 
and  so  they  told  him  when  they  should  be  riding  back  on 
the  fell. 

With  that  they  parted. 

Now  the  sons  of  Sigfus  rode  to  their  homes,  and  their 
households  were  glad  to  see  them.  They  were  there  near 
a  week. 

Now  Bjorn  comes  home  and  sees  Kari,  and  told  him 
all  about  the  doings  of  the  sons  of  Sigfus,  and  their 
purpose. 

Kari  said  he  had  shown  in  this  great  faithfulness  to 
him,  and  Bjorn  said— 

"I  should  have  thought  there  was  more  risk  of  any 

281 
21 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

other  man's  failing  in  that  than  of  me  if  I  had  pledged 
my  help  or  care  to  any  one." 

"Ah,"  said  his  mistress,  "but  you  may  still  be  bad  and 
yet  not  be  so  bad  as  to  be  a  traitor  to  thy  master." 

Kari   stayed  there  six  nights  after  that. 

CHAPTER  XCII. 

OF   KARI  AND  BJORN. 

Now  Kari  talks  to  Bjorn  and  says — 

"We  shall  ride  east  across  the  fell  and  down  into 
Skaptartongue,  and  fare  stealthily  over  Flosi's  country, 
for  I  have  it  in  my  mind  to  get  myself  carried  abroad  east 
in  Alftafirth." 

"This  is  a  very  riskful  journey,"  said  Bjorn,  "and  few 
would  have  the  heart  to  take  it  save  thou  and  I." 

"If  thou  backest  Kari  ill,"  said  his  housewife,  "know 
this,  that  thou  shalt  never  come  afterwards  into  my  bed, 
and  my  kinsmen  shall  share  our  goods  between  us." 

"It  is  likelier,  mistress,"  said  he,  "that  thou  wilt  have 
to  look  out  for  something  else  than  this  if  thou  hast  a 
mind  to  part  from  me;  for  I  will  bear  my  own  witness 
to  myself  what  a  champion  and  daredevil  I  am  when 
weapons  clash." 

Now  they  rode  that  day  east  on  the  fell  to  the  north 
of  the  Jokul,  but  never  on  the  highway,  and  so  down 
into  Skaptartongue,  and  above  all  the  homesteads  to 
Skaptarwater,  and  led  their  horses  into  a  dell,  but  they 
themselves  were  on  the  lookout,  and  had  so  placed  them- 
selves that  they  could  not  be  seen. 

Then  Kari   said  to   Bjorn — 

282 


OF  KARI  AND  BJORN 

"What  shall  we  do  now  if  they  ride  down  upon  us 
here  from  the  fell?" 

"Are  there  not  but  two  things  to  be  done,"  said  Bjorn; 
"one  to  ride  away  from  them  north  under  the  crags,  and 
so  let  them  ride  by  us,  or  to  wait  and  see  if  any  of  them 
lag  behind,  and  then  to  fall  on  them." 

They  talked  much  about  this,  and  one  while  Bjorn  was 
for  flying  as  fast  as  he  could  in  every  word  he  spoke,  and 
at  another  for  staying  and  fighting  it  out  with  them,  and 
Kari  thought  this  the  greatest  sport. 

The  sons  of  Sigfus  rode  from  their  homes  the  same 
day  that  they  had  named  to  Bjorn.  They  came  to  the 
Mark  and  knocked  at  the  door  there,  and  wanted  to  see 
Bjorn;  but  his  mistress  went  to  the  door  and  greeted 
them.  They  asked  at  once  for  Bjorn,  and  she  said  he 
had  ridden  away  down  under  Eyjafell,  and  so  east  under 
Selialandsmull,  and  on  east  to  Holt,  "for  he  has  some 
money  to  call  in  thereabouts,"  she  said. 

They  believed  this,  for  they  knew  that  Bjorn  had 
money  out  at  call  there. 

After  that  they  rode  east  on  the  fell,  and  did  not 
stop  before  they  came  to  Skaptartongue,  and  so  rode 
down  along  Skaptarwater,  and  baited  their  horses  just 
where  Kari  had  thought  they  would.  Then  they  split 
their  band.  Kettle  of  the  Mark  rode  east  into  Middle- 
land,  and  eight  men  with  him,  but  the  others  laid  them 
down  to  sleep,  and  were  not  ware  of  aught  until  Kari  and 
Bjorn  came  up  to  them.  A  little  ness  ran  out  there  into 
the  river ;  into  it  Kari  went  and  took  his  stand,  and  bade 
Bjorn  stand  back  to  back  with  him,  and  not  to  put  him- 

283 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

self  too  forward,  "but  give  me  all  the  help  thou 
canst." 

"Well,"  says  Bjorn,  "I  never  had  it  in  my  head  that 
any  man  should  stand  before  me  as  a  shield,  but  still  as 
things  are  thou  must  have  thy  way ;  but  for  all  that,  with 
my  gift  of  wit  and  my  swiftness  I  may  be  of  some  use 
to  thee,  and  not  harmless  to  our  foes." 

Now  they  all  rose  up  and  ran  at  them,  and  Modolf 
Kettle's  son  was  quickest  of  them,  and  thrust  at  Kari  with 
his  spear.  Kari  had  his  shield  before  him,  and  the  blow 
fell  on  it,  and  the  spear  stuck  fast  in  the  shield.  Then 
Kari  twists  the  shield  so  smartly,  that  the  spear  snapped 
short  off,  and  then  he  drew  his  sword  and  smote  at 
Modolf;  but  Modolf  made  a  cut  at  him.  too,  and  Kari's 
sword  fell  on  Modolf 's  hilt,  and  glanced  off  it  on  to 
Modolf's  wrist,  and  took  the  arm  off,  and  down  it  fell, 
and  the  sword  too.  Then  Kari's  sword  passed  on  into 
Modolf's  side,  and  between  his  ribs,  and  so  Modolf  fell 
down  and  was  dead  on  the  spot. 

Grani  Gnnnar's  son  snatched  up  a  spear  and  hurled 
it  at  Kari,  but  Kari  thrust  down  his  shield  so  hard  that 
the  point  stood  fast  in  the  ground,  but  with  his  left  hand 
he  caught  the  spear  in  the  air,  and  hurled  it  back  at  Grani, 
and  caught  up  his  shield  again  at  once  with  his  left  hand. 
Grani  had  his  shield  before  him,  and  the  spear  came  on 
the  shield  and  passed  right  through  it,  and  into  Grani's 
thigh  just  below  the  small  guts,  and  through  the  limb, 
and  so  on,  pinning  him  to  the  ground,  and  he  could  not 
get  rid  of  the  spear  before  his  fellows  drew  him  off  it, 
and  carried  him  away  on  their  shields,  and  laid  him  down 
in  a  dell. 


OF  KARI  AND  BJORN 

There  was  a  man  who  ran  up  to  Kari's  side,  and  meant 
to  cut  off  his  leg-,  but  Bjorn  cut  off  that  man's  arm,  and 
sprang  back  again  behind  Kari,  and  they  could  not  do  him 
any  hurt.  Kari  made  a  sweep  at  that  same  man  with  his 
sword,  and  cut  him  asunder  at  the  waist. 

Then  Lambi  Sigfus'  son  rushed  at  Kari,  and  hewed  at 
him  with  his  sword.  Kari  caught  the  blow  sideways  on 
his  shield,  and  the  sword  would  not  bite ;  then  Kari  thrust 
at  Lambi  with  his  sword  just  below  the  breast,  so  that 
the  point  came  out  between  his  shoulders,  and  that  was 
his  deathblow. 

Then  Thorstein  Geirleif  s  son  rushed  at  Kari,  and 
thought  to  take  him  in  flank,  but  Kari  caught  sight  of 
him,  and  swept  at  him  with  his  sword  across  the 
shoulders,  so  that  the  man  was  cleft  asunder  at  the  chin. 

A  little  while  after  he  gave  Gunnar  of  Skal,  a  good 
man  and  true,  his  deathblow.  As  for  Bjorn,  he  had 
wounded  three  men  who  had  tried  to  give  Kari  wounds, 
and  yet  he  was  never  so  far  forward  that  he  was  in  the 
least  danger,  nor  was  he  wounded,  nor  was  either  of 
those  companions  hurt  in  that  fight,  but  all  those  that  got 
away  were  wounded. 

Then  they  ran  for  their  horses,  and  galloped  them  off 
across  Skaptarwater  as  hard  as  they  could,  and  they  were 
so  scared  that  they  stopped  at  no  house,  nor  did  they  dare 
to  stay  and  tell  the  tidings  anywhere. 

Kari  and  Bjorn  hooted  and  shouted  after  them  as  they 
galloped  off.  So  they  rode  east  to  Woodcombe,  and  did 
not  draw  bridle  till  they  came  to  Swinefell. 

Flosi  was  not  at  home  when  they  came  thither,  and 

285 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

that  was  why  no  hue  and  cry  was  made  thence  after 
Kari. 

This  journey  of  theirs  was  thought  most  shameful  by 
all  men. 

Kari  rode  to  Skal,  and  gave  notice  of  these  manslay- 
ings  as  done  by  his  hand ;  there,  too,  he  told  them  of  the 
death  of  their  master  and  five  others,  and  of  Grani's 
wound,  and  said  it  would  be  better  to  bear  him  to  the 
house  if  he  were  to  live. 

Bjorn  said  he  could  not  bear  to  slay  him,  though  he 
said  he  was  worthy  of  death;  but  those  who  answered 
him  said  they  were  sure  few  had  bitten  the  dust  before 
him.  But  Bjorn  told  them  he  had  it  now  in  his  power 
to  make  as  many  of  the  Sidemen  as  he  chose  bite  the  dust ; 
to  which  they  said  it  was  a  bad  look  out. 

Then  Kari  and  Bjorn  ride  away  from  the  house. 

CHAPTER  XCIII. 

MORE    OF    KARI    AND    BJORN. 

THEN  Kari  asked  Bjorn — 

"What  counsel  shall  we  take  now?  Now  I  will  try 
what  thy  wit  is  worth." 

"Dost  thou  think  now,"  answered  Bjorn,  "that  much 
lies  on  our  being  as  wise  as  ever  we  can  ?" 

"Ay,"  said  Kari,  "I  think  so  surely." 

"Then  our  counsel  is  soon  taken,"  says  Bjorn.  "We 
will  cheat  them  all  as  though  they  were  giants;  and  now 
we  will  make  as  though  we  were  riding  north  on  the  fell, 
but  as  soon  as  ever  we  are  out  of  sight  behind  the  brae, 
we  will  turn  down  along  Skaptarwater,  and  hide  us  there 

286 


MORE  OF  KARI  AND  BJORN 

where  we  think  handiest,  so  long  as  the  hue  and  cry  is 
hottest,  if  they  ride  after  us." 

"So  will  we  do,"  said  Kari;  "and  this  I  had  meant  to 
do  all  along." 

"And  so  you  may  put  it  to  the  proof,"  said  Bjorn, 
"that  I  am.  no  more  of  an  everyday  body  in  wit  than  I 
am  in  bravery." 

Now  Kari  and  his  companion  rode  as  they  had  pur- 
posed down  along  Skaptarwater,  till  they  came  where  a 
branch  of  the  stream  ran  away  to  the  south-east;  then 
they  turned  down  along  the  middle  branch,  and  did  not 
draw  bridle  till  they  came  into  Middleland,  and  on  that 
moor  which  is  called  Kringlemire ;  it  has  a  stream  of  lava 
all  around  it. 

Then  Kari  said  to  Bjorn  that  he  must  watch  their 
horses,  and  keep  a  good  look-out;  "but  as  for  me,"  he 
says,  "I  am  heavy  with  sleep." 

So  Bjorn  watched  the  horses,  but  Kari  lay  him  down, 
and  slept  but  a  very  short  while  ere  Bjorn  waked  him  up 
again,  and  he  had  already  led  their  horses  together,  and 
they  were  by  their  side.  Then  Bjorn  said  to  Kari — 

"Thou  standest  in  much  need  of  me,  though !  A  man 
might  easily  have  run  away  from  thee  if  he  had  not  been 
as  brave-hearted  as  I  am;  for  now  thy  foes  are  riding 
upon  thee,  and  so  thou  must  up  and  be  doing." 

Then  Kari  went  away  under  a  jutting  crag,  and  Bjorn 
said  — 

"Where  shall  I  stand  now?" 

"Well !"  answers  Kari,  "now  there  are  two  choices  be- 
fore thee ;  one  is,  that  thou  standest  at  my  back  and  have 

287 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

my  shield  to  cover  thyself  with,  if  it  can  be  of  any  use  to 
thee ;  and  the  other  is,  to  get  on  thy  horse  and  ride  away 
as  fast  as  thou  canst." 

"Nay,"  says  Bjorn,  "I  will  not  do  that,  and  there  are 
many  things  against  it ;  first  of  all,  may  be,  if  I  ride  away, 
some  spiteful  tongues  might  begin  to  say  that  I  ran  away 
from  thee  for  faintheartedness ;  and  another  thing  is,  that 
I  well  know  what  game  they  will  think  there  is  in  me, 
and  so  they  will  ride  after  me,  two  or  three  of  them,  and 
then  I  should  be  of  no  use  or  help  to  thee  after  all.  No ! 
I  will  rather  stand  by  thee  and  keep  them  off  so  long  as  it 
is  fated." 

Then  they  had  not  long  to  wait  ere  horses  with  pack- 
saddles  were  driven  by  them  over  the  moor,  and  with 
them  went  three  men. 

Then  Kari  said — 

"These  men  see  us  not." 

"Then  let  us  suffer  them  to  ride  on,"  said  Bjorn. 

So  those  three  rode  on  past  them;  but  the  six  others 
then  came  riding  right  up  to  them,  and  they  all  leapt  off 
their  horses  straightway  in  a  body,  and  turned  on  Kari 
and  his  companion. 

First,  Glum  Hilldir's  son  rushed  at  them,  and  thrust  at 
Kari  with  a  spear;  Kari  turned  short  round  on  his  heel, 
and  Glum  missed  him,  and  the  blow  fell  against  the  rock. 
Bjorn  sees  that,  and  hewed  at  once  the  head  off  Glum's 
spear.  Kari  leant  on  one  side  and  smote  at  Glum  with 
his  sword,  and  the  blow  fell  on  his  thigh,  and  took  off  the 
limb  high  up  in  his  thigh,  and  Glum  died  at  once. 

Then  Vebrand  and  Asbrand  the  sons  of  Thorbrand 


MORE  OF  KARI  AND  BJORN 

ran  up  to  Kari,  but  Kari  flew  at  Vebrand  and  thrust  his 
sword  through  him,  but  afterwards  he  hewed  off  both  of 
Asbrand's  feet  from  under  him. 

In  this  bout  both  Kari  and  Bjorn  were  wounded. 

Then  Kettle  of  the  Mark  rushed  at  Kari,  and  thrust 
at  him  with  his  spear.  Kari  threw  up  his  leg,  and  the 
spear  stuck  in  the  ground,  and  Kari  leapt  on  the  spear- 
shaft,  and  snapped  it  in  sunder. 

Then  Kari  grasped  Kettle  in  his  arms,  and  Bjorn  ran 
up  just  then,  and  wanted  to  slay  him,  but  Kari  said — 

"Be  still  now.  I  will  give  Kettle  peace;  for  though  it 
may  be  that  Kettle's  life  is  in  my  power,  still  I  will  never 
slay  him." 

Kettle  answers  never  a  word,  but  rode  away  after  his 
companions,  and  told  those  the  tidings  who  did  not  know 
them  already. 

They  told  also  these  tidings  to  the  men  of  the  Hun- 
dred, and  they  gathered  together  at  once  a  great  force 
of  armed  men,  and  went  straightway  up  all  the  water- 
courses, and  so  far  up  on  the  fell  that  they  were  three 
days  in  the  chase;  but  after  that  they  turned  back  to 
their  own  homes,  but  Kettle  and  his  companions  rode  east 
to  Swinefell,  and  told  the  tidings  there. 

Flosi  was  little  stirred  at  what  had  befallen  them,  but 
said  no  one  could  tell  whether  things  would  stop  there, 
"for  there  is  no  man  like  Kari  of  all  that  are  now  left  in 
Iceland." 


289 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 
CHAPTER  XCIV. 

OF   KARI   AND   BJORN    AND   THORGEIR. 

Now  we  must  tell  of  Bjorn  and  Kari  that  they  ride 
down  on  the  Sand,  and  lead  their  horses  under  the  banks 
where  the  wild  oats  grew,  and  cut  the  oats  for  them,  that 
they  might  not  die  of  hunger.  Kari  made  such  a  near 
guess,  that  he  rode  away  thence  at  the  very  time  that 
they  gave  over  seeking  for  him.  He  rode  by  night  up 
through  the  Hundred,  and  after  that  he  took  to  the  fell ; 
and  so  on  all  the  same  way  as  they  had  followed  when 
they  rode  east,  and  did  not  stop  till  they  came  to  Mid- 
mark. 

Then  Bjorn  said  to  Kari — 

"Now  shalt  thou  be  my  great  friend  before  my  mis- 
tress, for  she  will  never  believe  one  word  of  what  I  say ; 
but  everything  lies  on  what  you  do,  so  now  repay  me  for 
the  good  following  which  I  have  yielded  to  thee." 

"So  it  shall  be ;  never  fear,"  says  Kari. 

After  that  they  ride  up  to  the  homestead,  and  then  the 
mistress  asked  them  what  tidings,  and  greeted  them  well. 

"Our  troubles  have  rather  grown  greater,  old  lass!" 

She  answered  little,  and  laughed ;  and  then  the  mistress 
went  on  to  ask — 

"How  did  Bjorn  behave  tp  thee,  Kari?" 

"Bare  is  back,"  he  answers,  "without  brother  behind 
it,  and  Bjorn  behaved  well  to  me.  He  wounded  three 
men,  and,  besides,  he  is  wounded  himself,  and  he  stuck 
as  close  to  me  as  he  could  in  everything." 

They  were  three  nights  there,  and  after  that  they  rode 

290 


OF  KARI  AND  BJORN  AND  THORGEIR 

to  Holt  to  Thorgeir,  and  told  him  alone  these  tidings, 
for  those  tidings  had  not  yet  been  heard  there. 

Thorgeir  thanked  him,  and  it  was  quite  plain  that  he 
was  glad  at  what  he  heard.  He  asked  Kari  what  now 
was  undone  which  he  meant  to  do. 

"I  mean,"  answers  Kari,  "to  kill  Gunnar  Lambi's  son 
and.Kol  Thorstein's  son,  if  I  can  get  a  chance.  Then 
we  have  slain  fifteen  men,  reckoning  those  five  whom  we 
two  slew  together.  But  one  boon  I  will  now  ask  of  thee." 

Thorgeir  said  he  would  grant  him  whatever  he  asked. 

"I  wish,  then,  that  thou  wilt  take  under  thy  safeguard 
this  man  whose  name  is  Bjorn,  and  who  has  been  in  these 
slayings  with  me,  and  that  thou  wilt  change  farms  with 
him,  and  give  him  a  farm  ready  stocked  here  close  by 
thee,  and  so  hold  thy  hand  over  him  that  no  vengeance 
may  befall  him ;  but  all  this  will  be  an  easy  matter  for 
thee  who  art  such  a  chief." 

"So  it  shall  be,"  says  Thorgeir. 

Then  he  gave  Bjorn  a  ready-stocked  farm  at  Asolfskal, 
but  he  took  the  farm  in  the  Mark  into  his  own  hands. 
Thorgeir  flitted  all  Bjorn's  household  stuff  and  goods  to 
Asolfskal,  and  all  his  live  stock ;  and  Thorgeir  settled  all 
Bjorn's  quarrels  for  him,  and  he  was  reconciled  to  them 
with  a  full  atonement.  So  Bjorn  was  thought  to  be 
much  more  of  a  man  than  he  had  been  before. 

Then  Kari  rode  away,  and  did  not  draw  rein  till  he 
came  west  to  Tongue  to  Asgrim  Ellidagrim's  son.  He 
gave  Kari  a  most  hearty  welcome,  and  Kari  told  him  of 
all  the  tidings  that  had  happened  in  these  slayings. 

Asgrim.  was  well  pleased  at  them,  and  asked  what  Kari 
meant  to  do  next. 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"I  mean,"  said  Kari,  "to  fare  abroad  after  them,  and 
so  dog  their  footsteps  and  slay  them,  if  I  can  get  at 
them." 

Asgrim  said  there  was  no  man  like  him  for  bravery  and 
hardihood. 

He  was  there  some  nights,  and  after  that  he  rode  to 
Gizur  the  white,  and  he  took  him  by  both  hands.  Kari 
stayed  there  some  while,  and  then  he  told  Gizur  that  he 
wished  to  ride  down  to  Eyrar. 

Gizur  gave  Kari  a  good  sword  at  parting. 

Now  he  rode  down  to  Eyrar,  and  took  him  a  passage 
with  Kolbein  the  black ;  he  was  an  Orkneyman  and  an  old 
friend  of  Kari,  and  he  was  the  most  forward  and  brisk 
of  men. 

He  took  Kari  by  both  hands,  and  said  that  one  fate 
should  befall  both  of  them. 

CHAPTER  XCV. 

FlvOSI  GOES  ABROAD. 

Now  Flosi  rides  east  to  Hornfirth,  and  most  of  the  men 
in  his  Thing  followed  him,  and  bore  his  wares  east,  as 
well  as  all  his  stores  and  baggage  which  he  had  to  take 
with  him. 

After  that  they  busked  them  for  their  voyage,  and 
fitted  out  their  ship. 

Now  Flosi  stayed  by  the  ship  until  they  were  "boun." 
But  as  soon  as  ever  they  got  a  fair  wind  they  put  out  to 
sea.  They  had  a  long  passage  and  hard  weather. 

Then  they  quite  lost  their  reckoning,  and  sailed  on  and 
on,  and  all  at  once  three  great  waves  broke  over  their 

292 


FLOS/  GOES'  ABROAD 

ship,  one  after  the  other.  Then  Flosi  said  they  must  be 
near  some  land,  and  that  this  was  a  ground-swell.  A 
great  mist  was  on  them,  but  the  wind  rose  so  that  a  great 
gale  overtook  them,  and  they  scarce  knew  where  they 
were  before  they  were  dashed  on  shore  at  dead  of  night, 
and  the  men  were  saved,  but  the  ship  was  dashed  all  to 
pieces,  and  they  could  not  save  their  goods. 

Then  they  had  to  look  for  shelter  and  warmth  for 
themselves,  and  the  day  after  they  went  up  on  a  height. 
The  weather  was  then  good. 

Flosi  asked  if  any  man  knew  this  land,  and  there  were 
two  men  of  their  crew  who  had  fared  thither  before,  and 
said  they  were  quite  sure  they  knew  it,  and,  say  they — 

"We  are  come  to  Hrossey  in  the  Orkneys." 

"Then  we  might  have  made  a  better  landing,"  said 
Flosi,  "for  Grim,  and  Helgi,  Njal's  sons,  whom  I  slew, 
were  both  of  them  of  Earl  Sigurd  Hlodver's  son's  body- 
guard." 

Then  they  sought  for  a  hiding-place,  and  spread  moss 
over  themselves,  and  so  lay  for  a  while,  but  not  for  long, 
ere  Flosi  spoke  and  said — 

"We  will  not  lie  here  any  longer  until  the  landsmen 
are  ware  of  us." 

Then  they  arose,  and  took  counsel,  and  then  Flosi  said 
to  his  men — 

"We  will  go  all  of  us  and  give  ourselves  up  to  the  Earl ; 
for  there  is  naught  else  to  do,  and  the  Earl  has  our  lives 
at  his  pleasure  if  he  chooses  to  seek  for  them." 

Then  they  all  went  away  thence,  and  Flosi  said  that 
they  must  tell  no  man  any  tidings  of  their  voyage,  or 

293 


THE  STORY  OF  BURXT  NJAL 

what  manner  of  men  they  were,  before  he  told  them  to 
the  Earl. 

Then  they  walked  on  until  they  met  men  who  showed 
them  to  the  town,  and  then  they  went  in  before  the  Earl, 
and  Flosi  and  all  the  others  hailed  him. 

The  Earl  asked  what  men  they  might  be,  and  Flosi 
told  his  name,  and  said  out  of  what  part  of  Iceland  he 
was. 

The  Earl  had  already  heard  of  the  Burning,  and  so  he 
knew  the  men  at  once,  and  then  the  Earl  asked  Flosi — 
"What  hast  thou  to  tell  me  about  Helgi  Njal's  son,  my 
henchman  ?" 

"This,"  said  Flosi,  "that  I  hewed  off  his  head." 

"Take  them  all,"  said  the  Earl. 

Then  that  was  done,  and  just  then  in  came  Thorstein, 
son  of  Hall  of  the  Side.  Flosi  had  to  wife  Steinvora, 
Thorstein's  sister.  Thorstein  was  one  of  Earl  Sigurd's 
bodyguard,  but  when  he  saw  Flosi  seized  and  held,  he 
went  in  before  the  Earl,  and  offered  for  Flosi  all  the 
goods  he  had. 

The  Earl  was  very  wroth  a  long  time,  but  at  last  the 
end  of  it  was,  by  the  prayer  of  good  men  and  true,  joined 
to  those  of  Thorstein,  for  he  was  well  backed  by  friends, 
and  many  threw  in  their  word  with  his,  that  the  Earl 
took  an  atonement  from  them,  and  gave  Flosi  and  all 
the  rest  of  them  peace.  The  Earl  held  to  that  custom  of 
mighty  men  that  Flosi  took  that  place  in  his  service  which 
Helgi  Njal's  son  had  filled. 

So  Flosi  was  made  Earl  Sigurd's  henchman,  and  he 
soon  won  his  way  to  great  love  with  the  Earl. 

294 


KARI  GOES  ABROAD 

CHAPTER  XCVI. 

KARI    GOES    ABROAD. 

THOSE  messmates  Kari  and  Kolbein  the  black  put  out 
to  sea  from  Eyrar  half  a  month  later  than  Flosi  and  his 
companions  from  Hornfirth. 

They  got  a  fine  fair  wind,  and  were  but  a  short  time 
out.  The  first  land  they  made  was  the  Fair  Isle;  it  lies 
between  Shetland  and  the  Orkneys.  There  that  man 
whose  name  was  David  the  white  took  Kari  into  his 
house,  and  he  told  him  all  that  he  had  heard  for  certain 
about  the  doings  of  the  Burners.  He  was  one  of  Kari's 
greatest  friends,  and  Kari  stayed  with  him  for  the  winter. 

There  they  heard  tidings  from  the  west  out  of  the 
Orkneys  of  all  that  was  done  there. 

Earl  Sigurd  bade  to  his  feast  at  Yule  Earl  Gilli,  his 
brother-in-law,  out  of  the  Southern  Isles;  he  had  to  wife 
Swanlauga,  Earl  Sigurd's  sister;  and  then  too  came  to 
see  Earl  Sigurd  that  king  from  Ireland  whose  name  was 
Sigtrygg.  He  was  a  son  of  Olaf  rattle,  but  his  mother's 
name  was  Kormlada;  she  was  the  fairest  of  all  women, 
and  best  gifted  in  everything  that  was  not  in  her  own 
power,  but  it  was  the  talk  of  men  that  she  did  all  things 
ill  over  which  she  had  any  power. 

Brian  was  the  name  of  the  king  who  first  had  her  to 
wife,  but  they  were  then  parted.  He  was  the  best-natured 
of  all  kings.  He  had  his  seat  in  Connaught,  in  Ireland ; 
his  brother's  name  was  Wolf  the  quarrelsome,  the  great- 
est champion  and  warrior;  Brian's  foster-child's  name 
was  Kerthialfad.  He  was  the  son  of  King  Kylfi,  who 

295 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

had  many  wars  with  King  Brian,  and  fled  away  out  of 
the  land  before  him,  and  became  a  hermit;  but  when 
King  Brian  went  south  on  a  pilgrimage,  then  he  met 
King  Kylfi,  and  then  they  were  atoned,  and  King  Brian 
took  his  son  Kerthialfad  to  him,  and  loved  him  more 
than  his  own  sons.  He  was  then  full  grown  when  these 
things  happened,  and  was  the  boldest  of  all  men. 

Duncan  was  the  name  of  the  first  of  King  Brian's  sons ; 
the  second  was  Margad;  the  third,  Takt,  whom  we  call'/ 
Tann,  he  was  the  youngest  of  them;  but  the  elder  sons 
of  King  Brian  were  full  grown,  and  the  briskest  of  men. 

Kormlada  was  not  the  mother  of  King  Brian's  chil- 
dren, and  so  grim  was  she  against  King  Brian  after  their 
parting,  that  she  would  gladly  have  him  dead. 

King  Brian  thrice  forgave  all  his  outlaws  the  same 
fault,  but  if  they  misbehaved  themselves  oftener,  then  he 
let  them  be  judged  by  the  law;  and  from  this  one  may 
mark  what  a  king  he  must  have  been. 

Kormlada  egged  on  her  son  Sigtrygg  very  much  to 
kill  King  Brian,  and  she  now  sent  him  to  Earl  Sigurd  to 
beg  for  help. 

King  Sigtrygg  came  before  Yule  to  the  Orkneys,  and 
there,  too,  came  Earl  Gilli,  as  was  written  before. 

The  men  were  so  placed  that  King  Sigtrygg  sat  in  a 
high  seat  in  the  middle,  but  on  either  side  of  the  king 
sat  one  of  the  earls.  The  men  of  King  Sigtrygg  and 
Earl  Gilli  sate  on  the  inner  side  away  from  him,  but  on  • 
the  outer  side  away  from  Earl  Sigurd,  sate  Flosi  and 
Thorstein,  son  of  Hall  of  the  Side,  and  the  whole  hall 
was  full. 


GUNNAR  IAMBI'S  SON'S  SLAYING 

Now  King  Sigtrygg  and  Earl  Gilli  wished  to  hear  of 
these  tidings  which  had  happened  at  the  Burning,  and 
so,  also,  what  had  befallen  since. 

Then  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  was  got  to  tell  the  tale,  and 
a  stool  was  set  for  him  to  sit  upon. 

CHAPTER  XCVII. 
GUNNAR  LAMBI'S  SON'S  SLAYING. 

JUST  at  that  very  time  Kari  and  Kolbein  and  David 
the  white  came  to  Hrossey  unawares  to  all  men.  They 
went  straightway  up  on  land,  but  a  few  men  watched 
their  ship. 

Kari  and  his  fellows  went  straight  to  the  Earl's  home- 
stead, and  came  to  the  hall  about  drinking  time. 

It  so  happened  that  just  then  Gunnar  was  telling  the 
story  of  the  Burning,  but  they  were  listening  to  him 
meanwhile  outside.  This  was  on  Yule-day  itself. 

Now  King  Sigtrygg  asked — 

"How  did  Skarphedinn  bear  the  Burning?" 

"Well  at  first  for  a  long  time,"  said  Gunnar,  "but  still 
the  end  of  it  was  that  he  wept."  And  so  he  went  on 
giving  an  unfair  leaning  in  his  story,  but  every  now  and 
then  he  laughed  out  loud. 

Kari  could  not  stand  this,  and  then  he  ran  in  with  his 
sword  drawn  and  smote  Gunnar  Lambi's  son  on  the  neck 
with  such  a  sharp  blow,  that  his  head  spun  off  on  to  the 
board  before  the  king  and  the  earls,  and  the  board  was 
all  one  gore  of  blood,  and  the  Earl's  clothing  too. 

Earl  Sigurd  knew  the  man  that  had  done  the  deed,  and 
called  out — 

297 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

"Seize  Kari  and  kill  him." 

Kari  had  been  one  of  Earl  Sigurd's  bodyguard,  and  he 
was  of  all  men  most  beloved  by  his  friends ;  and  no  man 
stood  up  a  whit  more  for  the  Earl's  speech. 

"Many  would  say,  Lord,"  said  Kari,  "that  I  have  done 
this  deed  on  your  behalf,  to  avenge  your  henchman." 

Then  Flosi  said — "Kari  hath  not  done  this  without  a 
cause;  he  is  in  no  atonement  with  us,  and  he  only  did 
what  he  had  a  right  to  do." 

So  Kari  walked  away,  and  there  was  no  hue  and  cry 
after  him.  Kari  fared  to  his  ship,  and  his  fellows  with 
him.  The  weather  was  then  good,  and  they  sailed  off  at 
once  south  to  Caithness,  and  went  on  shore  at  Thraswick 
to  the  house  of  a  worthy  man  whose  name  was  Skeggi, 
and  with  him  they  stayed  a  very  long  while. 

Those  behind  in  the  Orkneys  cleansed  the  board,  and 
bore  out  the  dead  man. 

The  Earl  was  told  that  they  had  set  sail  south  for  Scot- 
land, and  King  Sigtrygg  said — 

"This  was  a  mighty  bold  fellow,  who  dealt  his  stroke 
so  stoutly,  and  never  thought  twice  about  it !" 

Then  Earl  Sigurd  answered — 

"There  is  no  man  like  Kari  for  dash  and  daring." 

Now  Flosi  undertook  to  tell  the  story  of  the  Burning, 
and  he  was  fair  to  all;  and  therefore  what  he  said  was 
believed. 

Then  King  Sigtrygg  stirred  in  his  business  with  Earl 
Sigurd,  and  bade  him  go  to  the  war  with  him  against 
King  Brian. 

The  Earl  was  long  steadfast,  but  the  end  of  it  was  that 

298 


CUNNAR  IAMBI'S  SON'S  SLAYING 

he  let  the  king  have  his  way,  but  said  he  must  have  his 
mother's  hand  for  his  help,  and  be  king  in  Ireland,  if 
they  slew  Brian.  But  all  his  men  besought  Earl  Sigurd 
not  to  go  into  the  war,  but  it  was  all  no  good. 

So  they  parted  on  the  understanding  that  Earl  Sigurd 
gave  his  word  to  go;  but  King  Sigtrygg  promised  him 
his  mother  and  the  kingdom. 

It  was  so  settled  that  Earl  Sigurd  was  to  come  with  all 
his  host  to  Dublin  by  Palm  Sunday. 

Then  King  Sigtrygg  fared  south  to  Ireland,  and  told 
his  mother  Kormlada  that  the  Earl  had  undertaken  to 
come,  and  also  what  he  had  pledged  himself  to  grant  him. 

She  showed  herself  well  pleased  at  that,  but  said  they 
must  gather  greater  force  still. 

Sigtrygg  asked  whence  this  was  to  be  looked  for  ? 

She  said  there  were  two  vikings  lying  off  the  west  of 
Man;  and  that  they  had  thirty  ships,  and,  she  went  on, 
"they  are  men  of  such  hardihood  that  nothing  can  with- 
stand them.  The  one's  name  is  Ospak,  and  the  other's 
Brodir.  Thou  shalt  fare  to  find  them,  and  spare  nothing 
to  get  them  into  thy  quarrel,  whatever  price  they  ask." 

Now  King  Sigtrygg  fares  and  seeks  the  vikings,  and 
found  them  lying  outside  off  Man ;  King  Sigtrygg  brings 
forward  his  errand  at  once,  but  Brodir  shrank  from  help- 
ing him  until  he,  King  Sigtrygg  promised  him  the  king- 
dom and  his  mother,  and  they  were  to  keep  this  such  a 
secret  that  Earl  Sigurd  should  know  nothing  about  it; 
Brodir  too  was  to  come  to  Dublin  on  Palm  Sunday. 

So  King  Sigtrygg  fared  home  to  his  mother,  and  told 
her  how  things  stood. 

299 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

After  that  those  brothers,  Ospak  and  Brodir,  talked  to- 
gether, and  then  Brodir  told  Ospak  all  that  he  and  Sig- 
trygg  had  spoken  of,  and  bade  him  fare  to  battle  with 
him  against  King  Brian,  and  said  he  set  much  store  on 
his  going. 

But  Ospak  said  he  would  not  fight  against  so  good  a 
king. 

Then  they  were  both  wroth,  and  sundered  their  band  at 
once.  Ospak  had  ten  ships  and  Brodir  twenty. 

Ospak  was  a  heathen,  and  the  wisest  of  all  men.  He 
laid  his  ships  inside  in  a  sound,  but  Brodir  lay  outside  him. 

Brodir  had  been  a  Christian  man  and  a  mass-deacon  by 
consecration,  but  he  had  thrown  off  his  faith,  and  become 
God's  dastard,  and  now  worshipped  heathen  fiends,  and 
he  was  of  all  men  most  skilled  in  sorcery.  He  had  that 
coat  of  mail  on  which  no  steel  would  bite.  He  was  both 
tall  and  strong,  and  had  such  long  locks  that  he  tucked 
them  under  his  belt.  His  hair  was  black. 

CHAPTER  XCVIII. 

OF  SIGNS  AND  WONDERS. 

IT  so  happened  one  night  that  a  great  din  passed  over 
Brodir  and  his  men,  so  that  they  all  woke,  and  sprang  up 
and  put  on  their  clothes. 

Along  with  that  came  a  shower  of  boiling  blood. 

Then  they  covered  themselves  with  their  shields,  but 
for  all  that  many  were  scalded. 

This  wonder  lasted  all  till  day,  and  a  man  had  died  on 
board  every  ship. 

Then  they  slept  during  the  day,  but  the  second  night 

300 


OF  SIGNS  AND  WONDERS 

there  was  again  a  din,  and  again  they  all  sprang  up.  Then 
swords  leapt  out  of  their  sheaths,  and  axes  and  spears  flew 
about  in  the  air  and  fought. 

The  weapons  pressed  them  so  hard  that  they  had  to 
shield  themselves,  but  still  many  were  wounded,  and 
again  a  man  died  out  of  every  ship. 

This  wonder  lasted  all  till  day. 

Then  they  slept  again  the  day  after. 

But  the  third  night  there  was  a  din  of  the  same  kind, 
and  then  ravens  flew  at  them,  and  it  seemed  to  them  as 
though  their  beaks  and  claws  were  of  iron. 

The  ravens  pressed  them  so  hard  that  they  had  to  keep 
them  off  with  their  swords,  and  covered  themselves  with 
their  shields,  and  so  this  went  on  again  till  day,  and  then 
another  man  had  died  in  every  ship. 

Then  they  went  to  sleep  first  of  all,  but  when  Brodir 
woke  up,  he  drew  his  breath  painfully,  and  bade  them 
put  off  the  boat,  "For,"  he  said,  "I  will  go  to  see  Ospak." 

Then  he  got  into  the  boat  and  some  men  with  him,  but 
when  he  found  Ospak  he  told  him  of  the  wonders  which 
had  befallen  them,  and  bade  him  say  what  he  thought 
they  boded. 

Ospak  would  not  tell  him  before  he  pledged  him  peace, 
and  Brodir  promised  him  peace,  but  Ospak  still  shrank 
from  telling  him  till  night  fell. 

Then  Ospak  spake  and  said — "When  blood  rained  on 
you,  therefore  shall  ye  shed  many  men's  blood,  both  of 
your  own  and  others.  But  when  ye  heard  a  great  din, 
then  ye  must  have  been  shown  the  crack  of  doom,  and  ye 
shall  all  die  speedily.  But  when  weapons  fought  against 

301 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

you,  that  must  forbode  a  battle ;  but  when  ravens  pressed 
you,  that  marks  the  devils  which  ye  put  faith  in,  and  who 
will  drag  you  all  down  to  the  pains  of  hell." 

Then  Brodir  was  so  wroth  that  he  could  answer  never 
a  word,  but  he  went  at  once  to  his  men,  and  made  them 
lay  his  ships  in  a  line  across  the  sound,  and  moor  them 
by  bearing  their  cables  on  shore  at  either  end  of  the  line, 
and  meant  to  slay  them  all  next  morning. 

Ospak  saw  all  their  plan,  and  then  he  vowed  to  take 
the  true  faith,  and  to  go  to  King  Brian,  and  follow  him 
till  his  death-day. 

Then  he  took  that  counsel  to  lay  his  ships  in  a  line,  and 
punt  them  along  the  shore  with  poles,  and  cut  the  cables  of 
Brodir's  ships.  Then  the  ships  of  Brodir's  men  began  to 
fall  aboard  of  one  another  when  they  were  all  fast  asleep ; 
and  so  Ospak  and  his  men  got  out  of  the  firth,  and  so 
west  to  Ireland,  and  came  to  Connaught. 

Then  Ospak  told  King  Brian  all  that  he  had  learnt,  and 
took  baptism,  and  gave  himself  over  into  the  king's  hand. 

After  that  King  Brian  made  them  gather  force  over  all 
his  realm,  and  the  whole  host  was  to  come  to  Dublin  in 
the  week  before  Palm  Sunday. 

CHAPTER  XCIX. 
BRIAN'S  BATTLE. 

EARL  Sigurd  Hlodver's  son  busked  him  from  the  Ork- 
neys, and  Flosi  offered  to  go  with  him. 

The  Earl  would  not  have  that,  since  he  had  his  pilgrim- 
age to  fulfil. 

Flosi  offered  fifteen  men  of  his  band  to  go  on  the  voy- 

302 


BRIAN'S  BATTLE 

age,  and  the  Earl  accepted  them,  but  Flosi  fared  with 
Earl  Gilli  to  the  Southern  Isles. 

Thorstein,  the  Son  of  Hall  of  the  Side,  went  along  with 
Earl  Sigurd,  and  Hrafn  the  red,  and  Erling  of  Straumey. 

He  would  not  that  Hareck  should  go,  but  said  he  would 
be  sure  to  be  the  first  to  tell  him  the  tidings  of  his  voyage. 

The  Earl  came  with  all  his  host  on  Palm  Sunday  to 
Dublin,  and  there  too  was  come  Brodir  with  all  his  host. 

Brodir  tried  by  sorcery  how  the  fight  would  go,  but 
the  answer  ran  thus,  that  if  the  fight  were  on  Good  Fri- 
day King  Brian  would  fall  but  win  the  day;  but  if  they 
fought  before,  they  would  all  fall  who  were  against  him. 

Then  Brodir  said  that  they  must  not  fight  before  the 
Friday. 

On  the  fifth  day  of  the  week  a  man  rode  up  to  Korm- 
lada  and  her  company  on  a  dapple-grey  horse,  and  in  his 
hand  he  held  a  halberd;  he  talked  long  with  them. 

King  Brian  came  with  all  his  host  to  the  Burg,  and  on 
the  Friday  the  host  fared  out  of  the  Burg,  and  both  armies 
were  drawn  up  in  array. 

Brodir  was  on  one  wing  of  the  battle,  but  King  Sig- 
trygg  on  the  other.  Earl  Sigurd  was  in  the  mid  battle. 

Now  it  must  be  told  of  King  Brian  that  he  would  not 
fight  on  the  fast-day,  and  so  a  shieldburg1  was  thrown 
round  him,  and  his  host  was  drawn  up  in  array  in  front 
of  it. 

Wolf  the  quarrelsome  was  on  that  wing  of  the  battle 
against  which  Brodir  stood;  but  on  the  other  wing,fwhere 
Sigtrygg  stood  against  them,  were  Ospak  and  his  sons. 

'"Shieldburg,"  that  Is.  a  ring  of  men  holding  their  shields  locked 
together. 

303 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

But  in  mid  battle  was  Kerthialfad,  and  before  him  the 
banners  were  borne. 

Now  the  wings  fall  on  one  another,  and  there  was  a 
very  hard  fight.  Brodir  went  through  the  host  of  the  foe, 
and  felled  all  the  foremost  that  stood  there,  but  no  steel 
would  bite  on  his  mail. 

Wolf  the  quarrelsome  turned  then  to  meet  him,  and 
thrust  at  him  thrice  so  hard  that  Brodir  fell  before  him 
at  each  thrust,  and.  was  well-nigh  not  getting  on  his  feet 
again ;  but  as  soon  as  ever  he  found  his  feet,  he  fled  away 
into  the  wood  at  once. 

Earl  Sigurd  had  a  hard  battle  against  Kerthialfad,  and 
Kerthialfad  came  on  so  fast  that  he  laid  low  all  who  were 
in  the  front  rank,  and  he  broke  the  array  of  Earl  Sigurd 
right  up  to  his  banner,  and  slew  the  banner-bearer. 

Then  he  got  another  man  to  bear  the  banner,  and  there 
was  again  a  hard  fight. 

Kerthialfad  smote  this  man  to  his  death  blow  at  once, 
and  so  on  one  after  the  other  all  who  stood  near  him. 

Then  Earl  Sigurd  called  on  Thorstein  the  son  of  Hall 
of  the  Side,  to  bear  the  banner,  and  Thorstein  was  just 
about  to  lift  the  banner,  but  then  Asmund  the  white  said — 

"Don't  bear  the  banner!  for  all  they  who  bear  it  get 
their  death." 

"Hrafn  the  red!"  called  out  Earl  Sigurd,  "bear  thou 
the  banner." 

"Bear  thine  own  devil  thyself,"  answered  Hrafn. 

Then  the  Earl  said — 

"  'Tis  fittest  that  the  beggar  should  bear  the  bag ;"  and 
with  that  he  took  the  banner  from  the  staff  and  put  it  un- 
der his  cloak. 

3°4 


BRIAN'S  BATTLE 

A  little  after  Asmund  the  white  was  slain,  and  then 
the  Earl  was  pierced  through  with  a  spear. 

Ospak  had  gone  through  all  the  battle  on  his  wing,  he 
had  been  sore  wounded,  and  lost  both  his  sons  ere  King 
Sigtrygg  fled  before  him. 

Then  flight  broke  out  throughout  all  the  host. 

Thorstein  Hall  of  the  Side's  son  stood  still  while  all  the 
others  fled,  and  tied  his  shoe-string.  Then  Kerthialfad 
asked  why  he  ran  not  as  the  others. 

"Because,"  said  Thorstein,  "I  can't  get  home  to-night, 
since  I  am  at  home  out  in  Iceland."  Kerthialfad  gave 
him  peace. 

Hrafn  the  red  was  chased  out  into  a  certain  river;  he 
thought  he  saw  there  the  pains  of  hell  down  below  him, 
and  he  thought  the  devils  wanted  to  drag  him  to  them. 

Then  Hrafn  said — 

"Thy  dog,1  Apostle  Peter!  hath  run  twice  to  Rome, 
and  he  would  run  the  third  time  if  thou  gavest  him  leave." 

Then  the  devils  let  him  loose,  and  Hrafn  got  across  the 
river. 

Now  Brodir  saw  that  King  Brian's  men  were  chasing 
the  fleers,  and  that  there  wrere  few  men  by  the  shieldburg. 
Then  he  rushed  out  of  the  wood,  and  broke  through  the 
shieldburg,  and  hewed  at  the  king. 

The  lad  Takt  threw  his  arm  in  the  way,  and  the  stroke 
took  it  off  and  the  king's  head  too,  but  the  king's  blood 
came  on  the  lad's  stump,  and  the  stump  was  healed  by  it 
on  the  spot. 


^'Thy  dog,"  etc.     Meaning  that  he  would  RO  a  third  time  on  a  pilgrim- 
age to  Rome  if  St.  Peter  helped  him  out  of  this  strait. 

305 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

Then  Brodir  called  out  with  a  loud  voice — "Now  let 
man  tell  man  that  Brodir  felled  Brian." 

Then  men  ran  after  those  who  were  chasing  the  fleers, 
and  they  were  told  that  King  Brian  had  fallen,  and  then 
they  turned  back  straightway,  both  Wolf  the  quarrelsome 
and  Kerthialfad.  Then  they  threw  a  ring  round  Brodir 
and  his  men,  and  threw  branches  of  trees  upon  them,  and 
so  Brodir  was  taken  alive. 

Wolf  the  quarrelsome  cut  open  his  belly,  and  led 
him  round  and  round  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  and  so  wound 
all  his  entrails  out  of  him,  and  he  did  not  die  before 
they  were  all  drawn  out  of  him.  Brodi's  men  were  slain 
to  a  man. 

After  that  they  took  King  Brian's  body  and  laid  it  out. 
The  king's  head  had  grown  fast  to  the  trunk. 

Fifteen  men  of  the  Burners  fell  in  Brian's  battle,  and 
there,  too,  fell  Halldor  the  son  of  Gudmund  the  powerful, 
and  Erling  of  Straumey. 

On  Good  Friday  that  event  happened  in  Caithness  that 
a  man  whose  name  was  Daurrud  went  out.  He  saw  folk 
riding  twelve  together  to  a  bower,  and  there  they  were  all 
lost  to  his  sight.  He  went  to  that  bower  and  looked  in 
through  a  window  slit  that  was  in  it,  and  saw  that  there 
were  women  inside,  and  they  had  set  up  a  loom.  Men's 
heads  were  the  weights,  but  men's  entrails  were  the  warp 
and  weft,  a  sword  was  the  shuttle,  and  the  reels  were  ar- 
rows. 

Then  they  plucked  down  the  woof  and  tore  it  asunder, 
and  each  kept  what  she  had  hold  of. 

Now  Daurrud  goes  away  from  the  slit  and  home ;  but 

306 


BRIAN'S  BATTLE 

they  got  on  their  steeds  and  rode  six  to  the  south,  and 
the  other  six  to  the  north. 

A  like  event  befell  Brand  Gneisti's  son  in  the  Faroe 
Isles. 

At  Swinefell,  in  Iceland,  blood  came  on  the  priest's 
stole  on  Good  Friday,  so  that  he  had  to  put  it  off. 

At  Thvattwater  the  priest  thought  he  saw  on  Good 
Friday  a  long  deep  of  the  sea  hard  by  the  altar,  and  there 
he  saw  many  awful  sights,  and  it  was  long  ere  he  could 
sing  the  prayers. 

This  event  happened  in  the  Orkneys,  that  Hareck 
thought  he  saw  Earl  Sigurd,  and  some  men  with  him. 
Then  Hareck  took  his  horse  and  rode  to  meet  the  Earl. 
Men  saw  that  they  met  and  rode  under  a  brae,  but  they 
were  never  seen  again,  and  not  a  scrap  was  ever  found  of 
Hareck. 

Earl  Gilli  in  the  Southern  Isles  dreamed  that  a  man 
came  to  him  and  said  his  name  was  Hostfinn,  and  told 
him  he  was  come  from  Ireland. 

The  Earl  thought  he  asked  him  for  tidings  thence,  and 
then  he  sang  this  song — 

I  have  been  where  warriors  wrestled, 
High  in  Erin  sang  the  sword, 
Boss  to  boss  met  many  bucklers, 
Steel  rung  sharp  on  rattling  helm; 
I  can  tell  of  all  their  struggle; 
Sigurd  fell  in  flight  of  spears; 
Brian  fell,  but  kept  his  kingdom 
Ere  he  lost  one  drop  of  blood. 

Those  two,  Flosi  and  the  Earl,  talked  much  of  this 
dream.  A  week  after,  Hrafn  the  red  came  thither,  and 

307 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

told  them  all  the  tidings  of  Brian's  battle,  the  fall  of  the 
king,  and  of  Earl  Sigurd,  and  Brodir,  and  all  the  Vikings. 

"What,"  said  Flosi,  "hast  thou  to  tell  me  of  my  men?" 

"They  all  fell  there,"  says  Hrafn,  "but  thy  brother-in- 
law  Thorstein  took  peace  from  Kerthialfad,  and  is  now 
with  him." 

Flosi  told  the  Earl  that  he  would  now  go  away,  "for  we 
have  our  pilgrimage  south  to  fulfil." 

The  Earl  bade  him  go  as  he  wished,  and  gave  him  a 
ship  and  all  else  that  he  needed,  and  much  silver. 

Then  they  sailed  to  Wales,  and  stayed  there  a  while. 

CHAPTER  C. 

THE  SLAYING  OF   KOI,  THORSTEIN'S  SON. 

KARI  Solmund's  son  told  master  Skeggi  that  he  wished 
he  would  get  him  a  ship.  So  master  Skeggi  gave  Kari  a 
long-ship,  fully  trimmed  and  manned,  and  on  board  it 
went  Kari,  and  David  the  white,  and  Kolbein  the  black. 

Now  Kari  and  his  fellows  sailed  south  through  Scot- 
land's Firths,  and  there  they  found  men  from  the  South- 
ern Isles.  They  told  Kari  the  tidings  from  Ireland,  and 
also  that  Flosi  was  gone  to  Wales,  and  his  men  with  him. 

But  when  Kari  heard  that,  he  told  his  messmates  that 
he  would  hold  on  south  to  Wales,  to  fall  in  with  Flosi 
and  his  band.  So  he  bade  them  then  to  part  from  his 
company,  if  they  liked  it  better,  and  said  that  he  would 
not  wish  to  beguile  any  man  into  mischief,  because  he 
thought  he  had  not  yet  had  revenge  enough  on  Flosi  and 
his  band. 

All  chose  to  go  with  him;  and  then  he  sails  south  to 

308 


THE  STORY  OF  BURNT  NJAL 

told  them  all  the  tidings  of  Brian's  battle,  the  fall  of 

king,  and  of  Earl  Sigurd,  and  Brodir,  and  all  the  Vik< 

"What,"  said  '  ,  to  tell  me  of  my  me 

"They  all  tfn,  "but  thy  brother 

law  Tlnv  -  from  Kerthialfad,  and  is  ; 


_'.•• 
have  our  pilgrimage  south  to  fulfil. 

M.        T*       i    i       1   (ffOfrn  a  painting  by  Henru.Semiradsky.) 

The  Earl  bade  rum  go  as  he  wished,  ana  gave  run 

the 


un^rals   of.  their  chiefs,  with  the  most  .elaborate   and.,. 

ported  the  state  wai, derived, irpmlhe  sea,  it  was  natural  that 
recognition   should  ljC~^pven   ft  \he~"sources   upon  which   kings 

of   submitting   the    bodies    of    kings,    ana    or    \  ilcing   chiefs    es- 

KwRdlSolmifiiii>s  d(j)flvvboldpFnn3ter  Sicffg^ntJiaivirei  \vtrat. 
he  «nufd  get  hfrn^a^snF 

slaughtered    and  fetted 


f11^ 

Church,  in   Febriiary,,  1906- was  pteceded,  by^slaughter 
s.  hncl  iuere-t newfound  rnen  from  the  boiufs- 
vOTfre  horse,   in   a-efereqce^  to  the   ancient   custom   re- 

.They  told  Kari  the  tidings  from  Ireland,  and 
also  that  Flosi  was  gone  to  Wales,  and  his  men  with  him. 

But  when  Kari  heard  that,  he  told  his  messmates  that 
he  would  hold  on  south  to  Wales,  to  fall  in  with  F 
and  his  band.     So  he  bade  them  then  to  part  from 
company,  if  they  liked  it  better,  and  said  that  he  w« 
not  wish  to  beguile  any  man  into  mischief,  because 
thought  he  had  not  yet  had  revenge  enough  on  Flosi 
his  band. 

All  chose  to  go  with  him;  and  then  he  sails  soutl 

308 


THE  SLAYING  OF  KOL  THORSTEIN'S  SON 

Wales,  and  there  they  lay  in  hiding  in  a  creek  out  of  the 
way. 

That  morning  Kol  Thorstein's  son  went  into  the  town 
to  buy  silver.  He  of  all  the  Burners  had  used  the  bit- 
terest words.  Kol  had  talked  much  with  a  mighty  dame, 
and  he  had  so  knocked  the  nail  on  the  head,  that  it  was  all 
but  fixed  that  he  was  to  have  her,  and  settle  down  there. 

That  same  morning  Kari  went  also  into  the  town.  He 
came  where  Kol  was  telling  the  silver.  Kari  knew  him  at 
once,  and  ran  at  him  with  his  drawn  sword  and  smote 
him  on  the  neck;  but  he  still  went  on  telling  the  silver, 
and  his  head  counted  "ten"  just  as  it  spun  off  the  body. 

Then  Kari  said — "Go  and  tell  this  to  Flosi,  that  Kari 
Solmund's  son  hath  slain  Kol  Thorstein's  son.  I  give  no- 
tice of  this  slaying  as  done  by  my  hand." 

Then  Kari  went  to  his  ship,  and  told  his  shipmates  of 
the  manslaughter.  Then  they  sailed  north  to  Beruwick, 
and  laid  up  their  ship,  and  fared  up  into  Whitherne  in 
Scotland,  and  were  with  Earl  Malcolm  that  year.  But 
when  Flosi  heard  of  Kol's  slaying,  he  laid  out  his  body, 
and  bestowed  much  money  on  his  burial. 

Flosi  never  uttered  any  wrathful  words  against  Kari. 

Thence  Flosi  fared  south  across  the  sea  and  began  his 
pilgrimage,  and  went  on  south,  and  did  not  stop  till  he 
came  to  Rome.  There  he  got  so  great  honour  that  he 
took  absolution  from  the  Pope  himself,  and  for  that  he 
gave  a  great  sum  of  money. 

Then  he  fared  back  again  by  the  east  road,  and  stayed 
long  in  towns,  and  went  in  before  mighty  men,  and  had 
from  them  great  honour.  He  was  in  Norway  the  winter 

309 


after,  and  was  with  Earl  Eric  till  he  was  ready  to  sail,  and 
the  Earl  gave  him  much  meal,  and  many  other  men  be- 
haved handsomely  to  him. 

Now  he  sailed  out  to  Iceland,  and  ran  into  Hornfirth, 
and  thence  fared  home  to  Swinefell.  He  had  then  ful- 
filled all  the  terms  of  his  atonement,  both  in  fines  and  for- 
eign travel. 

CHAPTER  CI. 

OF  FI.OSI  AND  KARI. 

Now  it  is  to  be  told  of  Kari  that  the  summer  after  he 
went  down  to  his  ship  and  sailed  south  across  the  sea,  and 
began  his  pilgrimage  in  Normandy,  and  so  went  south  and 
got  absolution  and  fared  back  by  the  western  way,  and 
took  his  ship  again  in  Normandy,  and  sailed  in  her  north 
across  the  sea  to  Dover  in  England. 

Thence  he  sailed  west,  round  Wales,  and  so  north, 
through  Scotland's  Firths,  and  did  not  stay  his  course  till 
he  came  to  Thraswick  in  Caithness,  to  master  Skeggi's 
house. 

There  he  gave  over  the  ship  of  burden  to  Kolbein,  and 
David,  and  Kolbein  sailed  in  that  ship  to  Norway,  but 
David  stayed  behind  in  the  Fair  Isle. 

Kari  was  that  winter  in  Caithness.  In  this  winter  his 
housewife  died  out  in  Iceland. 

The  next  summer  Kari  busked  him  for  Iceland.  Skeggi 
gave  him  a  ship  of  burden,  and  there  were  eighteen  of 
them  on  board  her.  They  were  rather  late  "boun,"  but 
still  they  put  to  sea,  and  had  a  long  passage,  but  at  last 
they  made  Ingolf  s  Head.  There  their  ship  was  dashed 

310 


OF  FLOSI  AND  KARI 

all  to  pieces,  but  the  men's  lives  were  saved.  Then,  too, 
a  gale  of  wind  came  on  them. 

Now  they  ask  Kari  what  counsel  was  to  be  taken ;  but 
he  said  their  best  plan  was  to  go  to  Swinefell  and  put 
Flosi's  manhood  to  the  proof. 

So  they  went  right  up  to  Swinefell  in  the  storm.  Flosi 
was  in  the  hall.  He  knew  Kari  as  soon  as  ever  he  came 
into  the  hall,  and  sprang  up  to  meet  him,  and  kissed  him, 
and  sate  him  down  in  the  high-seat  by  his  side. 

Flosi  asked  Kari  to  be  there  that  winter,  and  Kari  took 
his  offer.  Then  they  were  atoned  with  a  full  atonement. 

Then  Flosi  gave  away  his  brother's  daughter  Hildi- 
gunna,  whom  Hauskuld  the  priest  of  Whiteness  had  had 
to  wife,  to  Kari,  and  they  dwelt  first  of  all  at  Broadwater. 

Men  say  that  the  end  of  Flosi's  life  was,  that  he  fared 
abroad,  when  he  had  grown  old,  to  seek  for  timber  to 
build  him  a  hall ;  and  he  was  in  Norway  that  winter,  but 
the  next  summer  he  was  late  "boun;"  and  men  told  him 
that  his  ship  was  not  seaworthy. 

Flosi  said  she  was  quite  good  enough  for  an  old  and 
death-doomed  man,  and  bore  his  goods  on  shipboard,  and 
put  out  to  sea.  But  of  that  ship  no  tidings  were  ever 
heard. 

These  were  the  children  of  Kari  Solmund's  son  and 
Helga  Njal's  daughter — Thorgerda  and  Ragneida,  Val- 
gerda,  and  Thord  who  was  burnt  in  Njal's  house.  But 
the  children  of  Hildigunna  and  Kari  were  these,  Starkad, 
and  Thord,  and  Flosi. 

The  son  of  Burning-Flosi  was  Kolbein,  who  has  been 
the  most  famous  man  of  any  of  that  stock. 

And  here  we  end  the  STORY  of  BURNT  NJAL. 

3" 


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